Here Come The Brides Hidden Agenda, Story 2
by April D. Wade
Summary: Julie Stemple returns to Seattle to visit her big brother, Aaron. However, it's to find that there have been some surprising changes in her brother's life, such as his marriage to Jemma and the news of Aaron's impending fatherhood. But Julie has some surprises of her own in store for her brother and not everyone, especially Jason, will be particularly happy about what they learn.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

Glancing out the kitchen window, Jemma Bolt Stempel couldn't help but reflect on just how different her life was from what it was like just a year before. This time a year ago, she was trying to figure out how to bridge the gap in the differences of opinion that her brother, Jason Bolt and her, then, fiancee, now, husband, Aaron Stempel possessed. For as long as she could remember, back to when she was a child, her brother and husband took to fighting with each other the way that birds take to flying or fish take to swimming, something that had found she and Aaron waiting for two years before they could be married. Yet, despite her brothers' and husband's clashing personalities, once the bet that Jason and Aaron had made for ownership of Bridal Veil Mountain, the Bolt family's property, although a difficult one, the path for her and Aaron to marry had been cleared between Jason, Joshua, and Jeremy and the couple. Although there had been an, almost, serious altercation between Jason and Aaron, Jemma's outburst, as well as the news that she was expecting a child, had seen a new and easier camaraderie between her husband and brothers. Shaking her head in amazement, she still couldn't help but find herself amazed by the fact that, not only had she and Aaron been able to marry, but they were also expecting their first child.

Hearing her husband's approach she hurried to place the eggs, bacon, potatoes, and biscuits on the table. She was in the process of pouring him a cup of coffee when he entered the kitchen to greet;

"Good morning, sweetheart."

Waiting until she set the coffee pot on the table, Aaron took his wife in his arms to kiss her soundly before asking;

"How are you feeling?"

Jemma couldn't help but offer a slight laugh, which found her husband demanding;

"Now what's so amusing, young lady? I happen to think that's a very serious question."

Placing her hand on his cheek she looked into his eyes, amusement brimming in her own as she pointed out;

"Aaron, love, do you realize that every day since we found out that we're expecting a child, you have asked me that question?"

Placing his hand over her stomach, which had still not begun to show as of yet, he nodded;

"What can I say, Jemma love, I want to make sure that both of you are alright."

Motioning to the table his voice took on an authoritative tone as he ordered;

"And on that note, I want to see you eat a full plate. No more skipping meals for you, even after our baby is born."

Offering him a wry look full of sarcasm, Jemma quipped;

"Honey, do you realize that if I were to eat as much as you want me to, I'd be as big as the side of a house?"

Loading his plate, as well as hers, Aaron nodded as he observed;

"And if you do, then you do; all that will mean is that there is more of you to love. Now, eat your breakfast, sweetheart."

After finishing a bite of food, Jemma asked nervously;

"When is Julie supposed to arrive?"

Turning to study his wife, after hearing the underlying nervous tone in her voice, Aaron asked in concern;

"Darlin, are you worried about Julie coming to visit? I promise, it's not going to be like before when Jason and I got into a fistfight, it's different this time; she said that she has a surprise."

Her eyes betraying her concern, Jemma demanded;

"Aaron, how much does Julie know?"

Laying his fork on his plate, he placed his hand over hers as he explained;

"To be honest with you, she doesn't know that we're married or that we're expecting a baby. But, Jemma love it's not because I'm ashamed of you, our child or our marriage, I gave her such a hard time about the will and approving of a husband that I didn't want it to seem as if I'm rubbing salt into her wound, so to speak. To be honest, I was going to write her and let her know about our marriage and the baby when we got her telegram; I thought it would just be best to tell her when she gets here."

Shaking his head, Aaron sought to ease her concerns as he took her hand in his before predicting;

"Sweetheart, you know that Julie already likes you, so there's nothing to worry about."

Giving a slight shake of her head, she pointed out;

"Honey, that was when I was Jemma Bolt and not married to her older brother, not to mention carrying his child. That last factor alone might find her resentful because we've obviously kept the fact of our marriage from her for some time."

Shaking his head, Aaron assured her;

"Jemma, my love, stop worrying about it. Even if Julie is upset at first, I can promise you that she will calm down and everything will be fine."

Rising to help clear the table, Aaron placed his finger under her chin to lift her eyes to meet his as he declared his position;

"Not to mention that whether she likes it or not, we ARE married and we ARE expecting a child. I gave Julie what she asked for so that she could live her life without taking orders from me and that works both ways. Now, Julie will either be alright with our marriage or she won't, but no matter what, it doesn't change the fact and it won't that you're my wife and the mother of my unborn child."

Placing a kiss on her lips, he lightly chastised;

"Now, stop worrying and why don't you go and get ready for church while I clean up in here."

Watching his wife as she left the room, Aaron couldn't help but share her concerns, although he didn't want Jemma to know just how deeply worried he truly was about what his sister's reaction might be when she learned of his marriage and impending fatherhood. Even though he had agreed to her suggestion that he buy out her share of the sawmill and release her share of the inheritance that they shared from their father, he also knew that she had resented, what she considered, his interference in her life, although his concern had been that of an older brother for his sister. His concern for his younger sister had been one of the reasons that he had been so patient while waiting to be able to marry Jemma; he could relate to Jason's concerns for his younger sister just as he had for his own sister. The difference, however, was that Julie was now a woman of twenty-six and unmarried, while Jemma wasn't even twenty-one and expecting a child, factors that Aaron worried would affect how his sister would treat his wife. He couldn't help but think just how right Jemma may well be when she said that his sister's opinion of her might well differ from when she had been Jemma Bolt to now being his wife.

Finishing up with the dishes, Aaron sighed in resignation as he speculated aloud;

"Well, hopefully, things will work out and we're just worrying for nothing."

With that, he made his way to the bedroom to finish dressing for church.

After services as Aaron and Jemma were leaving, Aaron found himself halted by Ben Perkins as he requested;

"Aaron, could I speak with you for a second?"

Turning to Jemma, he rushed to apologize;

"I'm sorry, Jemma, but it's important, do you mind?"

Offering a slight shake of her head, she assured him;

"No, Ben, I don't mind, it's alright."

Seeing her eldest brother leaving, Aaron motioned for him to suggest;

"Jason, Ben needs to talk to me for a minute, would you mind escorting Jemma over to Lottie's?"

Taking her hand and pulling her arm through his, Jason assured his brother in law;

"I wouldn't mind a bit, Aaron, in fact, you'd be doing me a big favor; I don't get to see Pixie nearly enough."

Leading her down the steps, Jason couldn't help but notice how distracted his sister seemed as he leaned closer to her to venture;

"Alright, Jemma, what's on your mind?"

Turning to look at her brother, Jemma didn't bother to deny his observation, knowing that her brother knew her only too well. Deciding to confide in him she explained;

"Julie will be arriving in Seattle tomorrow and, apparently, she has a big surprise for her brother."

Surprised by the news, Jason's voice expressed his shock;

"Julie is going to be in Seattle?"

Offering a questioning look, he asked, more to himself than his sister;

"I wonder what her big surprise will be?"

Sighing in thinly veiled frustration, Jemma retorted;

"Well, whatever it is I'm quite certain that it won't be nearly as big as the surprises that Aaron has for her."

Entering Lottie's and settling his sister at a table while they waited for Aaron, Jason demanded;

"What do you mean; what surprises does Aaron have for Julie;"

Placing her hand over her stomach, she looked into her brother's eyes as she stated ruefully;

"Us."

His eyes widening, Jason couldn't help but ask in disbelief;

"Jemma Elysia, do you mean to tell me that your husband didn't tell his sister that you and he got married, or that you're expecting a baby?"

Rushing to assure her brother, Jemma explained;

"Stop thinking the worst, Jason, it's not what you think. He doesn't realize that I know it, but he's worried about what her reaction might be. He was going to write and tell her that we had been married and about the baby but then he got her telegram that she was going to be arriving so he decided to wait and tell her when she arrives."

Shrugging, Jason pointed out;

"Well, I can certainly understand his point, I suppose. But tell me something, Pixie, why are you so nervous? You and Julie have met and she seemed to like you well enough, so why are you worried?"

Knowing the futility of trying to assure her brother that she wasn't concerned, Jemma simply fell back on the truth of his statement as she ventured;

"Jason, there may well be a big difference in how she feels about Jemma Bolt and how she's going to feel about her older brother's wife who is, not only younger than she is but also expecting a child as well."

Leaning back in his chair, Jason nodded as he conceded;

"I see your point, Pixie."

Noticing her husband with their

other two brothers and Candy entering, she pleaded;

"Please, Jason, don't say anything, for me."

Reaching across the table to pat her hand, he advised;

"Don't worry, baby sister, I won't mention a word."

Jemma found herself flanked as Aaron took the chair on one side of her while Candy took the other after giving her a quick hug as she asked;

"How are you feeling?"

Offering a slight chuckle, she lightly admonished;

"Candy, I'm just fine I promise."

Placing his arm around his fiancee's shoulders, Jeremy ventured;

"Now, Candy you know that she's carrying a baby that's half Bolt, half Stempel."

Turning a frustrated look on Jeremy, Candy demanded;

"And just what do you think that is supposed to mean Jeremy Bolt? It's still a little baby."

Shaking his head, Aaron offered;

"What that means, Candy is that this baby is going to be a very stubborn and determined child."

Glancing at his wife, he took her hand before expounding on his statement;

"Boy or girl."

Lottie had left church services a little early so that she could make sure everything in the kitchen was progressing right on schedule for her Sunday lunch crowd. When she entered the main section of her saloon the first thing that she noticed was the Bolt/Stempel family and Candy. Rushing to the table she gave Jemma a quick hug as she asked quietly;

"How are you feeling, sweetie?"

Jemma had been forced to learn after the discovery of her pregnancy, how to take that particular question in stride, especially given the frequency with which she heard it since news of her condition had become known. Setting her determination, she returned Lottie's hug as she offered;

"I'm fine, Lottie. I promise."

Studying her carefully, Lottie demanded;

"Are you eating?"

Nodding towards Aaron, Jemma advised;

"Why don't you ask my husband THAT question?"

Amused by her answer, Lottie shook her head as she ventured;

"No need to, that just answered it."

Placing her hand on the girl that she looked on as an adopted daughter's shoulders, Lottie sought to tempt her appetite as she offered;

"Well, there's roast beef with carrots and potatoes for lunch, and, for dessert."

Offering an indulgent smile as she looked pointedly at Jemma, she bribed;

"If you eat all of your lunch, there's an orange chocolate cake."

Her eyes widening in surprise, Jemma couldn't help but offer a smile as she stated ruefully;

"Lottie, that's not fair, you're going to make me fat."

Squeezing her shoulders, Lottie observed;

"And if I do then there will be just that much more of you to love."

Laughing, Aaron pointed out;

"That's what I told her this morning, Lottie."

Sighing in exasperation, Jemma raised her hands in surrender;

"Alright, alright, I give up. There are just too many of you to argue the point."

After everyone had finished the midday meal, Jeremy turned to Candy to suggest;

"Candy, why don't we go take a walk?"

Nodding eagerly, she ventured;

"I think that sounds like a good idea."

Watching as the couple left the saloon, Jason raised his glass in salute as he offered;

"Aw to be young and in love."

Taking a sip of his coffee, Joshua pointed out;

"You talk as if you're ancient, Jason. You're not exactly Methuselah you know."

Shaking his head, Jason ventured;

"No, Joshua, but at a certain point of age, if a man hasn't found the love of a good woman then he begins to resign himself to the idea that he may well never do so."

Looking to his brother in law for confirmation of his theory, Jason asked;

"Isn't that right, Aaron?"

Setting his own cup of coffee on the table, Aaron shook his head as he denied;

"I'm afraid that I'm not the right person to ask that question, Jason."

Reaching to take Jemma's hand in his, Aaron observed;

"Any idea that I had of never finding someone to love ended when I found myself falling in love with your sister."

Leaning back in his chair to cross his arms over his chest, Jason motioned towards Jemma as he ventured;

"You're among one of the fortunate few then, Aaron to have found what you have with my sister."

Studying her brother, Jemma realized that, deep down inside, Jason was keeping sadness and loneliness buried that, she was certain, few others were aware of. Attempting to offer some type of comfort to her brother, Jemma ventured;

"Jason, you don't know that. It may be that the person that you're meant to be with just hasn't crossed your path yet or that, if they have, it may well not have been the time that you were meant to be with each other, that doesn't mean that you're destined to spend your life alone."

Turning towards Aaron, Jason nodded towards Jemma as he offered;

"I'm willing to bet that you didn't realize that you had married such a little optimist, did you, Aaron?"

Leaning forward, Aaron shook his head as he ventured;

"I don't disagree with her, Jason. I mean, think about it, when I fell in love with Jemma, it wasn't the right time for us to be with each other right then, but now we're happily married with a baby on the way."

Pushing his chair away from the table, Jason placed his hand on his brother in law's shoulder before remarking;

"Your luck, Aaron's isn't necessarily the same as everyone else's."

Watching as Jason left the saloon, Jemma turned to her brother to demand;

"Joshua, how long has he been like this?"

Shrugging, Josh explained;

"He got a letter the other day from Dana, you remember, the Amish girl. Anyway, it was to let him know that she and Jacob had gotten married. He mentioned something about how he continuously lets the pot of gold go to chase the rainbow."

Aaron couldn't help but venture;

"That's not necessarily so, Joshua. Not to mention, this just doesn't sound like Jason."

Leaning forward as if sharing a confidence, Josh offered;

"Aaron, you know that and I know that, but try telling him that. I mean he brought back one hundred women and hasn't found even one of them that he'd like to settle down with."

Shaking his head in concern for his brother, Josh ventured;

"He's afraid that he's getting too old to settle down."

Staring at her brother in disbelief, Jemma exclaimed;

"Josh, that's ridiculous. Aaron's a year older than Jason and he's settled down."

Still holding his hand, she cast a loving glance at her husband before stating jokingly;

"Or at least so I hope."

Bringing her hand to his lips, Aaron placed a kiss on her palm before patting her hand and assuring her;

"You don't need to worry on that account, sweetheart."

Motioning to his sister and brother in law, Josh pointed out;

"But that's different, or at least Jason sees it as different, Jemma. You and Aaron fell in love and had to wait to get married, you two had each other for some time, you just had to wait until the time was right to be together."

Shaking his head in sympathy, Josh observed;

"There isn't even anyone that Jason's interested in, let alone biding his time till he can marry her."

Seeing his sweetheart, Anna Marie, Josh rose from his chair to place a kiss on his sister's cheek as he bid;

"Don't let it worry you, Pixie. You know our big brother, he'll snap out of it and you'll never even know that he was ever upset."

Jemma sat for a few moments after her brother had left, thinking about her eldest brother until Aaron suggested;

"You know what I was thinking; the weather seems nice today, why don't we take a ride to the lake?"

Noticing how she jumped slightly as if he had surprised her, Aaron shook his head as he advised his wife;

"Don't do it, sweetheart, I can see what you're thinking and I don't think that it's a good idea."

Offering her husband a look of innocence, Jemma demanded;

"For heaven's sake, Aaron, do what? I wasn't thinking about doing anything."

Rising from his chair, Aaron pulled her chair out for her before offering her his arm and making their way to the door. Once they were on their way to their house, Aaron answered his wife's earlier statement;

"You're thinking about trying to play matchmaker, something that shocks me because that's out of character for you. You can deny it all you want, Jemma love but I know that you don't like seeing your brother, any of your brothers unhappy, and if you can fix it you'll try to. But this isn't something that you can fix, this is one of those problems that Jason is going to have to fix for himself."

Lowering her eyes she confessed sheepishly;

"I know, it's just that I hate seeing him unhappy. I mean we're married, Jeremy and Candy will be getting married and Joshua is courting Anna Marie, he just seems so lonely and unhappy and I feel guilty about it."

Nodding his understanding, Aaron offered;

"We have nothing to feel guilty about, darlin, but I understand your point. When you're happy and in love, you want those you care about to have that same experience."

Deciding to change the subject and divert her attention, Aaron repeated his earlier proposal;

"Since Julie will be here, after tomorrow, and the weather is so nice, why don't we take a ride out to the lake."

Giving consideration to the suggestion and realizing that there was nothing she could do to help solve her eldest brother's dilemma, at least at the moment, Jemma turned to rise on tiptoe to kiss her husband's cheek before venturing;

"I think that sound's like a wonderful idea, it's been a while since we've done that."

Although she was willing to concede her husband's point that there wasn't anything that she could do for the moment to help Jason, that didn't mean that some opportunity to do so at a later point might not present itself.

Lottie sat at her desk going over her books, every once in a while she cast covert glances at Jemma as she helped her with her bookkeeping. She knew that the young woman was nervous about her sister in law,

Julie Stempel's visit, one of the reasons that she had decided to spend her morning with Lottie, especially since Aaron had insisted that she be with him to meet the coach that his sister would be arriving on. Lottie carefully sat her pencil on the table as she rested her elbow on the table before leaning her chin on her fist as she demanded;

"Now just when are you going to go ahead and tell me what's bothering you so much about this visit?"

Although she knew that she shouldn't be, Jemma couldn't help but find herself shocked by Lottie's direct and blunt question. Shaking her head as she sighed in resignation;

"It's not exactly 'bothering' me, it's just that I can't help but wonder how she's going to take the news that not only are Aaron and I married but that we're expecting a baby. Given how they argued so much on her last visit I can't help but think that she might be a little resentful of the news."

Placing her hand over Jemma's Lottie's face took on a concerned look as she ventured;

"And you're afraid that it might cause a problem between Aaron and his sister?"

Confirming Lottie's assumption, Jemma nodded as she explained;

"Yes, I know that he often comes off as being overbearing and arrogant, Lottie, but Aaron cares a lot about Julie and her happiness and being the one charged to look after her when their father died,"

Offering a slight shrug of her shoulders, Jemma theorized;

"I guess that the only way he knows to approach it is to do so the same way that he does everything else; take charge of the situation and take care of it himself."

Patting the girl's hand, Lottie ventured;

"Well, considering that she mentioned having a big surprise I'm sure that everything will be just fine. And if she has a problem,"

Getting up from her chair, Lottie gathered her cup and Jemma's before leaning over to place a motherly kiss on Jemma's cheek before demanding;

"Tell her to come see me and I'LL set her straight."

Before Jemma could respond the door opened as Aaron rushed in to offer excitedly;

"Come on, sweetheart, the coach is about to pull in."

Seeing the anxiety on Jemma's face, Lottie set the cups on the table before placing her hands on the girl's shoulders to offer;

"Everything will be just fine, sweetie."

Jemma couldn't help but give her a slight smile and nod as Aaron placed her cloak around her shoulders before encouraging;

"It's a little chilly outside."

Turning her so that he could fasten it for her, he placed his finger under her chin to lift her eyes to his as he promised;

"It's going to be just fine, you'll see. And you know something, even if it's not fine, that's not going to change anything between us, not one little bit. Now, stop worrying."

Kissing her gently, he took her hand in his before stating;

"Alright, let's go."

Lottie shook her head as she gathered the dishes before venturing;

"I so hope that you're right, Aaron, I just hope that you're right."

Glancing about the sights as the coach came to a stop in front of the general store, Julie Stempel could see that not much had changed since her last visit, although, she was in the hopes that her brother's stubborn nature might have eased somewhat. Stepping down from the coach, Julie looked about and, as usual, heard her brother before seeing him as he called out to her from Lottie's;

"JULIE!"

Despite the moments of frustration that she had felt with him over the years, Julie couldn't deny how happy she was to see her older brother, something that was obvious as she lifted her arms in invitation as he hugged her affectionately before pulling back to demand;

"Let me have a good look at you."

Running his eyes up and down as he scanned her appearance, Aaron nodded his approval as he complimented;

"You look good, Julie. How have you been?"

Offering a slight nod, Julie replied;

"I've been just fine, Aaron."

Noticing the pretty, petite girl hanging back in anticipation, Julie demanded;

"Aaron, isn't that Jemma Bolt; Jason Bolt's sister?"

Deciding that now was as good a time as any, Aaron turned towards Jemma to extend his hand in invitation. Julie couldn't help but notice how her brother seemed very solicitous of the young woman as he gently pulled her forward to explain;

"Well, Julie, yes and no. She is Jason Bolt's sister, but she's Jemma Stempel now and my wife."

Her eyes widening in shock, Julie couldn't help but stammer a bit;

"You mean that you, you."

Nodding eagerly Aaron finished her statement;

"Got married? Yes, last fall as a matter of fact."

Sheepishly he added;

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, I was actually about to write you about it when I got your telegram so I thought that I would tell you when you got here, especially considering that you aren't just getting a sister in law but, in a few months, you'll have a niece or nephew too."

Jemma could see the shock of her brother's announcement in her eyes but found her anxiety evaporating as Julie's face lit in excitement and happiness as she hugged her brother tightly to declare;

"Why, Aaron that's wonderful news. I never thought that you would ever marry anyone, let alone have a child."

Turning to Jemma she hugged her before offering;

"I know it's a bit late but congratulations on your marriage and the baby."

Understanding the reason for her brother's behavior on her previous visits, Julie turned to her brother before a secret knowing smile graced her lips as she ventured;

"This would be why you were never interested in any of those brides, wouldn't it? You were waiting for the right time to marry Jemma, weren't you?"

Laughing as his sister's quick wit as he placed his arm around his wife's shoulders, Aaron nodded his agreement;

"I could deny that, but I would be lying if I did."

Glancing about for her luggage, Aaron reminded;

"By the way, in your telegram, you mentioned something about a surprise."

Before Julie had a chance to reply, Aaron found himself shocked as a man just a bit shorter than himself with dark blond hair approached to put his arm around his sister's shoulders before addressing;

"Julie, dear, are we ready?"

Jemma couldn't help but turn to study her husband's reaction as Julie looked somewhat chagrined as she offered a sheepish smile before explaining;

"Aaron, this is my surprise."

Placing her arm around his waist she introduced;

"Blake, this is my big brother, Aaron, who I've told you about before, and this is his wife, Jemma. As it turns out Aaron had a surprise for me as well, I didn't know that he had gotten married, or that he will be a father in a few months."

Turning to her brother she continued;

"Aaron, this is Blake Anderson, my fiancee."

Noticing how he tightened his jaw and the stoic look that seemed to cross his features, as well as the look of concern on Julie's face and the worry in her blue eyes, Jemma decided to distract Aaron's attention for the moment to give him time to think about the issue in a more rational state of mind. She knew how deeply Aaron cared for his sister and the last thing that she wanted was for him to say or do anything in the heat of the moment, without having an opportunity to think it through carefully. Drawing his attention, she asked quietly;

"Aaron, darling, I'm feeling a little cold and a bit queasy at the moment. Do you think that we might go over to Lottie's so that I can sit down and maybe see if she has some ginger soda to calm my stomach?"

His attention became focused solely on his wife's comfort, which saw Aaron turning to his sister and her fiancee to advise;

"I brought the buggy so if you'd like to load up your luggage, Julie, then we'll see about getting Mr. Anderson a room at Lottie's."

Shaking her head, Julie ventured;

"Actually, Aaron, I was thinking about staying at the dorm with the brides."

Worried that her presence might be influencing Julie's decision, Jemma rushed to assure her;

"Julie, there's more than enough room at the house. You're more than welcome to stay with us, I have a room already made up for you."

Seeing the sincerity in her sister in law's eyes, Julie reached out to squeeze Jemma's hand in affection as she offered her a kind smile before assuring;

"Jemma, I know that and I thank you for it. No, I had made my mind up to stay at the dorm with the brides before arriving, so please don't think that you're the reason why I decided not to stay at the house. Besides, it will be fun to catch up with the girls."

Directing the attention back to what he considered to be the more immediate concern, Aaron suggested;

"Well, then let's see about getting Mr. Anderson a room at Lottie's and let's get Jemma out of this chilly air."

Taking his wife's arm, Aaron led her in the direction of Lottie's, leaving his sister and her fiancee to deal with their luggage. Motioning towards the couple, Anderson observed;

"Your brother is a rather stoic fellow, isn't he, dear?"

Offering a slight laugh, Julie couldn't help but quip;

"Oh, that's just how he is when you first meet him. Just wait until you get to know him a bit better and you'll come to realize that he's downright grim." 


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Jemma sat at her dressing table, brushing her hair as she and Aaron prepared for bed that night, watching her husband trying to hide his frustration at the evening's events. She couldn't help but recall the time spent earlier that evening with Julie and her fiancee at Lottie's as she absently ran the brush through her long hair. Once she had diverted Aaron's attention just after Julie and Blake's arrival, they hurried to get them settled in their respective lodgings. After Jemma has assured Aaron that her queasiness had passed and she was fine, she took Julie to the brides' dorm while Aaron made arrangements for Blake's room with Lottie.

As she had expected, when she and Julie entered the dorm, Biddie greeted eagerly;

"Oh, Julie, what a surprise! We had no idea that you were coming, are you going to stay in the dormitory with us?"

Although Julie knew from experience Biddie's tendencies towards gabbiness, she still found herself holding her hands up in a pleading manner as she answered laughingly;

"Slow down, Biddie, slow down. First things first; the only one who knew I was coming for a visit was Aaron and, as it turns out my new sister in law, and yes, I am going to stay here in the dorm, if you girls don't mind. My fiancee is staying at Lottie's and I would love the chance to catch up with you and the others."

Jemma had known that the moment Biddie learned of Julie's engagement that she would have conflicting feelings; although she had a heart of gold and would be overjoyed for the woman's good fortune, she would also feel a little saddened by the fact that, yet, another was marrying before she would. True to her prediction, Biddie's eyes revealed her conflicting emotions for a moment before her features took on a mask of joy as she exclaimed;

"Oh, Julie that is just the most marvelous thing. And how romantic, you brought him to Seattle to meet your brother."

Before she could go on the door opened as Candy walked in and stopped short as she hurried forward to embrace Julie as she greeted eagerly;

"Julie, how are you?"

Stepping back and noticing the luggage, she offered;

"You're going to stay at the dorm with us and catch up, aren't you?"

Julie couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the reception that she had received as she nodded;

"Yes. I had planned on that before I knew that Aaron and Jemma had gotten married. I really wanted to catch up with everyone, although,"

Reaching out she grasped Jemma's hand as she continued;

"I feel a little guilty because I would really like to get to know my new sister in law much better. But, with my fiancee at Lottie's, I think this would be a better arrangement."

Offering Jemma a warm smile, she promised;

"That doesn't mean that I won't be spending every day with Jemma."

Shocked, Candy glanced between Jemma and Julie as she stammered;

"You're, you're..."

Laughing, Julie completed her statement;

"Engaged? Yes, I wanted Aaron to meet Blake and to give me away when I get married."

Given her tendency to always be scampering about, no one was surprised when Biddie, ever efficient, took charge as she took Jemma's bags and ordered;

"Well, Julie, let's get you settled and then we girls can have a nice visit."

Turning to Jemma, she offered in apology;

"I'm sorry, Jemma that you won't be able to stay with us tonight, why we could have had a big old slumber party, it'll be ever so much fun."

Squinching her brow in a trademark Biddie glance, she shook her head as she speculated;

"I guess there are times that having a husband can be inconvenient."

Jemma couldn't help but clear her throat in her attempt to stifle her giggle as she composed herself before venturing;

"Well, Biddie, I guess there are some inconveniences in being married sometimes."

Nodding, Biddie agreed;

"Oh, my heavens yes."

Turning to Julie, she advised;

"I'll just put your bags on your bed for you, Julie."

Watching as Biddie turned to make her way up the stairs, Jemma glanced between Julie and Candy to mutter quietly;

"Although I can't say that I've found any of those inconveniences so far."

Both Julie and Candy brought their hands up to cover their mouths as they tried to stifle their own giggles of amusement at Jemma's observation. Motioning towards Lottie's, Candy suggested;

"I know that Jeremy said something about going to Lottie's for a beer, and since your fiancee and I'm sure that Aaron is there, why don't we go join them?"

Making their way across the street and entering the saloon, Jemma couldn't help but notice the scowl that Aaron wore as Lottie glided up to her to suggest;

"I think that your husband could do with a bit of female temperance at the moment. IF you get my meaning, dear."

Nodding her understanding, she placed her hand on Lottie's arm as she requested;

"Lottie, could I have a ginger soda pop please?"

Seeing the underlying reason for her request, Lottie patted her hand before promising;

"Sure thing, sweetie. I'll bring it to your table in just a minute."

Noticing the interaction, Candy sidled up close to Jemma to ask candidly;

"Is everything alright, Jemma."

Motioning discreetly towards Aaron, Jemma replied softly;

"Why don't you take a look at the look on my husband's face and answer that question for yourself."

Doing as Jemma suggested, Candy cast a quick glance in Aaron's direction, something that found her eye's widening as she turned to offer;

"I see what you mean."

Sharing a knowing look that silently conveyed their understanding of just how volatile the situation could turn, especially given the warning signs that, both, Jemma and Candy recognized on Aaron's face at the moment. Although Candy had seen several instances since she had come to Seattle of Aaron Stempel's temper, she has also learned, since their marriage, just how capable Jemma was of harnessing that temper before it could erupt. Given that knowledge, Candy wasn't shocked when Jemma lifted her head and pulled her shoulders back before making her way to the table where Aaron, Blake, and Jeremy were seated.

Seeing his wife's approach, Aaron's mood lifted as he rose to hold out a chair for her as he offered;

"Sweetheart, can I get you something?"

Giving a slight shake of her head, Jemma explained;

"No, honey, I'm fine, Lottie said she'd bring me a ginger soda in a minute."

Before she knew it, Blake had turned to her to venture;

"Jemma, I understand that you're something of a rarity for Seattle."

Shocked by his statement, not to mention the casual manner with which he addressed her, something that she could see seemed to grate on her husband's nerves. Especially when Aaron made it a point to state;

"My wife would be a rarity for any place in the world, Anderson. There isn't another like her anywhere else in the world."

Motioning towards his sister and Candy he offered;

"No offense meant to either of the other two ladies present."

Taking her brother's statement in a good-natured manner, Julie placed her hand over Blake's as she ventured;

"Didn't I tell you, Blake? I knew that if my brother were to ever fall in love and marry, he wouldn't think any other woman in the world could compare with her, even his own sister."

Seeing the look on her brother's face, Julie patted his hand as she laughed;

"It's alright, Aaron, I think it's wonderful that you feel that way about Jemma."

Nodding her agreement, Candy agreed;

"I agree, Julie. Every man should feel that way about the woman that he loves."

Turning to address Aaron she offered;

"Aaron, I see nothing wrong with what you said."

Despite the shift in the conversation, Blake had not missed the intimation of Aaron's statement regarding his wife or the tone with which he said it. Deciding to try and salvage his earlier attempt to draw the woman out, he cleared his throat as he offered;

"I meant no disrespect."

Turning to address her, he began;

"What I meant, Mrs. Stempel is that I understand from your brother and husband that you were born and raised here in Seattle, that you're not one of the brides that your brothers brought back from New Bedford."

Smiling gratefully as Lottie placed a bottle of soda pop in front of her with a glass, Jemma took a few moments to open the bottle and pour her glass full to take a sip before responding;

"Yes, Mr. Anderson, you understood correctly. I've was born in Settle and I've lived here my entire life."

Casting a curious glance in her direction, Blake observed in a questioning tone;

"I imagine that your mother worked very hard to ensure that you were raised to be such a genteel lady in such a rough country. I mean, I know that Seattle has come a long way during your life but it seems as if it can still be a rough town and I can only imagine how much rougher it was in your parents' time."

Jeremy, unsure of how he felt about Blake Anderson, decided to speak up as he stated in certainty;

"I'm afraid that she doesn't remember very much about our parents, Mr. Anderson. You see our mother died when Jemma was just a few months old and our father died when she was a couple of years old. Our oldest brother, Jason raised us."

Laughing at the memories it evoked, Jeremy couldn't help but shake his head as she pointed out;

"Actually, my sister is a woman of many talents; she can swing an ax better than more than half of the men who work for us, including our brothers and myself and she can climb a tree like a squirrel. She's the only woman I know of who can top a tree as good as if not better than a man and she did that when she was fourteen."

Staring in shock, Blake demanded;

"And you mean to tell me that no one thought anything strange about any of this?"

Hearing a slight aimed as his wife in the tone of the man's voice, Aaron set his beer on the table before stating in a definite

tone;

"Anderson, this is hard county and considering that my wife was raised by three older brothers who are loggers and in a logging camp to boot, it's not a surprise that she knows about or is capable of doing such things. She also happens to be a very determined and capable woman who, when she sets her mind to something, does it, just like she did with bookkeeping and anything else she's turned her hand to."

Shaking his head, Blake offered;

"I meant no offense, it's just that, to find a woman who presents the appearance that your wife does but who you tell me is as capable, if not more so, then most men, well it's just a little surprising, that's all."

Placing her hand over Aaron's, in an attempt to calm him, Jemma offered her view;

"Mr. Anderson, as my husband and brother explained, this can be a hard country, so a woman must be willing to do whatever is necessary to help ensure that her family can succeed, and if that means working shoulder to shoulder with the men, then so be it. As far as their bragging on my capabilities, I'm afraid they might be just a bit biased in their praise; I've watched the logging operations since before I was able to walk so taking to that was just second habit as was learning bookkeeping and helping at the mill."

While her statement seemed to quell the man's curiosity, she could see that it didn't do the same for Aaron's mood. She realized that Candy must have sensed the same thing as she suggested;

"I just had an idea, we have a huge dinner cooking at the dorm and there's more than enough why don't all of you join us for supper?"

Embracing the invitation, Julie quickly agreed as did her fiancee, Jemma, seeing Aaron about to offer an excuse, spoke up before he had the opportunity;

"Candy, that sounds like a wonderful idea."

Turning with a pleading look in her eyes to her husband, she prompted;

"Doesn't it, Aaron?"

Seeing the unspoken plea in her eyes and on her face, Aaron knew that he couldn't deny his wife as he resigned himself before replying;

"I think it sounds like an excellent idea."

Turning to Candy, he offered;

"Thank you, Candy."

Although the presences of others seemed to have lightened the mood somewhat, Jemma was still aware of Aaron's underlying aggravation even though he managed to mask it from everyone else, everyone except Candy, who, noticing her best friend's concern, was able to put the pieces of the puzzle together to determine the source of Jemma's concern. Once they were in semi-privacy in the kitchen at the dorm, preparing to serve desert, Candy, always to the point, demanded;

"I get the impression that Aaron isn't very happy with Julie's fiancee or her engagement or both."

Offering a slight nod, Jemma offered;

"I don't know which if any of those theories is the correct one, or if maybe it's something altogether different that's the problem. However, I intend to find out for sure later on."

Once the desert had been served and everything cleaned up from the meal, Jemma had insisted that Julie and Blake join them the following night for supper at their house. She found her thoughts brought back to the present as she noticed Aaron's obvious aggravation as he tugged and pulled at his tie before swearing;

"Why do they make these things as damned hard to take off as they are to put on?"

Placing her hairbrush on her dressing table, Jemma approached her husband as she placed her hands over his to push them aside as she offered quietly;

"Here, let me."

Her fingers made quick work of releasing the thin piece of material from the snag that had been caused by his earlier frustration. Seeing the grim set to his jaw, Jemma crawled onto their bed to sit on her knees behind him as she began kneading at the tense muscles of his shoulders before asking softly;

"Aaron?"

Although she knew that he was enjoying her attempts to help him relax, she could tell that he was still tense and somewhat distracted, especially when his only response was a noncommittal;

"Hmm?"

Hesitantly, she asked;

"Honey, are you mad or upset with Julie, her fiancee, the idea that she's going to get married, or me?"

Despite his preoccupation with his sister's situation, when he heard the worry in his wife's voice, Aaron immediately shifted on the bed before turning to shift her as well as he pulled her across his lap into his embrace before shaking his head vehemently as he promised;

"No, Jemma love, I'm not upset or mad with you."

Kissing her soundly, he vowed;

"Never at you. It's just that, there's something about Anderson that I don't particularly care for, although I'm not exactly in the position to say anything to Julie about it, especially considering what took place between us before over this very subject."

Shaking his head sadly, he speculated;

"No, I have to bite my tongue, because if I don't I may well push her away and that's not something that I want to do or even consider doing."

Searching his eyes, Jemma couldn't help but see the worry in their dark depths as she ventured softly;

"This man really worries you, doesn't he?"

Nodding, he confessed;

"Yes, he does."

Bringing his hand up to place on her cheek as he searched her eyes, he observed;

"And I get the feeling that I'm not alone; am I, sweetheart?"

Her eyes widening, Jemma demanded;

"How on earth did you know that? I thought I was doing a good job of keeping my concerns to myself."

Chuckling slightly as he held her tighter, Aaron explained;

"Jemma, my love, I've told you before; you may well be able to hide what you're thinking and feeling from just about everyone else, but,"

Placing a kiss on her forehead, he finished;

"Doing so from me isn't one of the talents that you possess."

With that he motioned to the bed before placing his hand over her stomach as he decreed;

"But for now, any concerns over Anderson can be tabled since I think it's time that you and our child got some rest, especially since I'm tired and could use a little sleep myself."

Once they were settled for the night, as usual with Jemma curled next to her husband's side as he held her in his arms, Jemma couldn't help but ask;

"Darling, do you think that, just maybe, we're overreacting about Mr. Anderson and Julie? I mean I know that you want her to be happy and that you want the best for her, but maybe it's just the fact that we don't really know anything about this man."

Glancing at her, Aaron demanded;

"Sweetheart, I want you to tell me, honestly, what is it that disturbs you about him?"

Sighing in resignation, Jemma admitted;

"Truthfully, there just seems to be something underlying about him. I mean, he seems nice enough, on the surface, but it's as if he's hiding something just underneath like he has an agenda that no one else knows about, not even Julie. Not to mention, they just don't seem as close as I would have thought they might be for a couple about to be married. Look at Candy and Jeremy, for example, they're very close and even when we were trying to keep anyone from finding out about us, we acted closer than what they do."

Nodding, Aaron pointed out;

"And THAT'S a large part of why I'm so concerned, but I have no idea as to how I'm supposed to approach this with Julie. I can't very well say anything about her age considering that that she's five, almost six years older than my own wife, not to mention I can't very well say anything about her not mentioning it until now since we did the same thing and we lived in the same small town, which is a vastly different than living in San Francisco among all the people in THAT city."

Placing a kiss on the top of her head, he shook his head as he ventured;

"I know that I have to talk to her about this, but I have to figure out how to do it. But since the answer won't be coming tonight, let's just sleep on it. Goodnight, darlin."

Snuggling closer, Jemma closed her eyes as she bid;

"Goodnight, my love."

He could tell that she had fallen asleep by the change in her breathing as well as how her body seemed to relax against his side, yet, Aaron discovered that finding his own rest wasn't as easy as it had been for his wife. Although he had told her the truth about his uneasiness where Anderson was concerned, what he didn't share was the reason for his earlier bad mood at Lottie's. He had not minded Jeremy's company in the least as they waited for Jemma, Candy and Julie, however, what he did mind were the questions that Anderson seemed intent on asking, questions that seemed to center on learning information about Jemma, something that even Jeremy had become frustrated with.

He could have understood had the man asked one or two questions, out of politeness, regarding his wife, but Aaron couldn't understand the fascination that he seemed to display regarding Jemma's upbringing, her brothers and so forth. Aaron would have expected the man to ask such questions about Julie, the woman that he intended to marry, not about a woman that he had just met, and especially not about a woman married to his fiancee's brother. Realizing the wisdom of his earlier observation, Aaron set his mind to the fact that he would get to the bottom of the thoughts plaguing his mind where Blake Anderson was concerned, and soon found his own rest for the night. 

Jason sat at the grindstone, sharpening the tools, a habit he had taken after his father as a way of being alone with his thoughts when something was plaguing his mind. Despite how quickly things seemed to change in Seattle, one thing that didn't seem to change was how many of his thoughts that Julie Stempel seemed to occupy since her last visit. Although his 'courting' of her had been to needle her brother Aaron, what Jason didn't admit to anyone else was that, as his plan to help Julie secure her financial freedom of her brother's dictates was

maturing, he began to realize that, so too, were his feelings for the girl.

Although he couldn't have admitted it before, knowing that Julie was in town and so close, Jason realized that, part of his hesitation in giving his consent for Jemma and Aaron's marriage was due to his resentment over Aaron's reaction when it came to the idea of his pursuit of Julie. Yet, he knew that it was a different situation, especially given that Aaron had waited for Jemma to mature and had made certain that the feelings they shared were mutual and night a passing fancy. Admittedly, Jason's intentions, as were Julies, were simply to needle and push Aaron to release Julie from his financial control as well as his required input into approving of any man that she might choose to marry. He couldn't help to chuckle as he realized that the joke had been on him since he had found himself developing feelings for Julie.

He knew that Joshua and Jeremy, and he was quite sure, even Jemma assumed his moodiness had something to do with the letter that he had received from Dana regarding her and Jacob's marriage. In part, their assumption had been correct, but only as far as the idea that Dana had managed to find her happiness, although not with him. The truth of his frustration was that he always seemed to be rushing to the next goal to be met or the next obstacle to be overcome. Although they had not been able to make it work, Jason felt he owed Dana a huge debt of gratitude given that she helped open his eyes up to the fact that he was capable of caring for someone the way that he had cared for her, even to the point that he had been willing to convert to the Amish faith so that he might marry her, but he realized that he couldn't change who and what he was.

Even though he cared deeply about Dana, it wasn't until he met Julie that he understood that, once the nervousness of being in love passed, it should feel natural to be in that person's presence as well as being comfortable enough to act completely natural, to be yourself. Having that sudden thought, Jason stopped as the realization that he had just connected the idea of love with Julie Stempel, something that he had never admitted to before. Shaking his head at, what he considered, his own stupidity, Jason chastised himself aloud;

"There's no sense in pursuing that line of logic, is there, Jason Bolt, especially since she came with a fiancee."

Standing in the shadows of the trees near the grindstone, Jeremy shook his head in sympathy for his brother before quietly making his way back down the trail, deciding to leave Jason alone with his thoughts. He couldn't help but feel sorry for his eldest brother as he considered what he should do with the knowledge he now had; he felt torn, he didn't want to see his brother hurt, but his sense of right and wrong also came into play as Julie was engaged to another man. Although being honest, Jeremy didn't care for Blake Anderson anymore than what his brother in law did, he knew that he also couldn't just run with what he had just learned either, although he needed to talk to somebody.

Considering his options as well as where he was at the moment, Jeremy made a decision that he didn't think he would have normally made in his choice of confidants. A short time later, Jeremy found himself knocking on Aaron's office door and waiting a moment before hearing a terse;

"Come in."

When he looked up from his paperwork, Aaron had been prepared to see Blake Anderson standing in his office, something that Julie had hinted was a possibility given the interest that he had stated he had in the mill. However, when he found Jeremy standing there instead, he greeted eagerly;

"Jeremy, what in the world are you doing here?"

Standing in indecision given that he felt as if he had intruded, Jeremy stammered;

"Well, I could, I could..."

Seeing his brother in law's nervousness, Aaron rose from his desk chair to assure him;

"No, Jeremy, that's alright. Actually, I'm happy to see that it's you, I thought it might be someone else."

Offering Aaron a knowing glance, Jeremy speculated;

"Anderson?"

Nodding as he poured two cups of coffee before handing one to Jeremy, he agreed;

"Yep, one and the same."

Taking a sip from his cup, Aaron explained;

"He mentioned something about being interested in the mill and, of course, Julie volunteered me to show him around if he was inclined to make a trip up here."

Leaning against the window sill, Jeremy took a sip from his cup before venturing;

"Aaron, between us, you don't much care for Anderson, do you?"

Studying his youngest brother in law, Aaron decided to level with him;

"Between us? No, Jeremy, I don't."

Shaking his head in frustration, he explained;

"I want to like the man, for Julie's sake if no other reason. However, there's something about him that I don't care for, and it's not just me, Jemma and I talked about it and she has her misgivings about him too."

Eyeing him critically, Jeremy demanded;

"Does she know about all the questions he was asking about her the day that they arrived?"

Shaking his head vehemently as his eyes widened in disbelief, Aaron exclaimed;

"NO! And I don't want her to know either."

His tone softening somewhat, he explained;

"I don't want her to be bothered or worried about anything that isn't necessary, Jeremy. I didn't want that for her before we were married, let alone now that we're married and I have some say over it, and especially not in her condition."

Picking up the pencil that he had been using earlier to enter the figures into the ledger, Aaron began tapping it on the desk in frustrated habit as he admitted;

"Not to mention, I don't think that his interest in her was of a romantic type."

Although he had been thinking thoughts along the same line, Jeremy had to ask;

"What makes you so sure that he wasn't just taken with her? I mean my sister if a very pretty girl."

Shaking his head as he crossed his arms across his chest, Aaron explained his theory;

"First of all Jeremy, no offense, you may think of your sister as a very pretty girl, but I happen to know that my wife is a very beautiful woman. Secondly; I know what it looks like when a man is entertaining THOSE types of thoughts after seeing Jemma. He definitely thinks she's pretty, but that wasn't his motivation for asking all those questions. If I didn't know any better I would swear it was almost like she's a piece of some type of puzzle, but I can't figure out the reason or why to it when this is the first time that any of us, except Julie, has set eyes on the man."

Although he was pretty sure that he already knew the answer, Jeremy found himself asking anyway;

"Have you thought about talking to your sister about this?"

Tossing the pencil onto the desk, Aaron shook his head as he spread his hands in a pleading manner before pleading;

"Jeremy, I know I should, but after what happened on her last visit, I don't know how to approach it, especially considering that I waited until she arrived to tell her about Jemma and I getting married, and the baby. If I were to try and talk to her now she would accuse me of trying to control her life again, I don't want to lose my sister, Jeremy."

Seeing the sincerity on Aaron's face and hearing it in his voice, Jeremy couldn't help but feel sympathetic for the man, especially given that he, Joshua, and Jason had been in a similar situation with Jemma when she and Aaron decided to marry. Tossing the rest of his coffee out the window, Jeremy speculated;

"You know it could be possible that we're just reading this guy wrong. I mean you could be being overly sensitive, especially considering how protective you are over your sister and your wife."

Willing to consider the possibility, Aaron offered a slight nod before demanding;

"Alright, that could be possible, but then what's your excuse?"

Shrugging, Jeremy offered;

"I've always been protective of Pixie, you know that."

Leaning back in his chair as he crossed his arms, Aaron pinned his brother in law with his eyes as he ventured;

"Alright, that's possible, I'll give you that. But tell me this, Jeremy; that's what your logic says, what does your gut say?"

Sighing in resignation, Jeremy admitted;

"The same thing that yours probably does; that there's something not quite right about this man."

Shaking his head, Aaron confessed;

"On the plus side, Jeremy, with you and Candy joining us for supper tonight, just maybe that will keep his curiosity in check."

Offering a slight chuckle, Jeremy pointed out;

"And your temper down, Aaron?"

Rolling his eyes as he focused his attention back on the ledger in front of him, Aaron dismissed;

"I'll see you tonight, Jeremy, six o'clock on the dot; your sister hates tardiness, as you well know." 

Jemma stood at the kitchen counter, completing the finishing touches on the carrot cake that she had made for dessert for the evening's dinner, considering that it was her husband's favorite she hoped it would ease Aaron's mood, especially given that they would be having dinner with Julie and her fiancee. Even though he presented a civil attitude towards the man, Jemma knew that Aaron didn't care for his future brother in law in the least. However, she couldn't very well fault him for how he felt when she was having trouble in that department as well. She had desperately wanted to talk to Julie about her engagement, especially since they had grown closer in their relationship. Although Julie stayed at the dorm at night, she took to spending a great deal of her day with Jemma and, usually, Candy as well. Blake had taken to exploring the area around Seattle during the daytime and then spending his evenings with Julie and whoever else was present.

Although Aaron had made certain to spend time with

his sister since her arrival when it came to spending time in her fiancee's company that was something that seemed to grind on his nerves relentlessly, although he kept it in check and was nothing but civil to the man. However, seeing her husband's dilemma, Jemma couldn't help but try and help ease his situation, although she felt guilty given that she offered the excuse of feeling unwell due to her condition as the reason for excusing her and Aaron's presence from various invitations that Julie and Blake had extended to them. Something that found her feeling enough guilt to convince her husband of the need to invite the couple to supper, not to mention throwing an engagement party for Julie and Blake as well.

Hearing a knock on the door and assuming that it was either Julie or Candy offering to help, she had no qualms about inviting;

"Come in."

With her back to the kitchen door, she simply stated;

"I appreciate the help, but I think I have it all under control. I just finished the carrot cake and the only thing left to do it to mash the potatoes and everything is ready."

Jemma found herself shocked as she heard the vaguely familiar male voice venture;

"Well, that's certainly nice to know, Miss Jemma."

Having just set the cake on the counter, she spun around, her eyes wide as she demanded;

"What are you doing here? And where's Julie?"

Leaning against the kitchen counter, Blake shrugged negligently as he offered;

"Well, Julie mentioned something about hurrying to get ready so that she and Candy could come to see if maybe you needed some help, so I volunteered to come ahead of them and see if I could give you a hand."

Despite the calm and cool demeanor with which he had given his explanation, Jemma couldn't help but feel uneasy in his presence, especially given that there was no one in the house except for the two of them. Trying to appear unaffected by the man's presence, Jemma proceeded as if Blake weren't present as she began gathering the dishes, cutlery, and glassware that she would need to set the dining room table before making her way into the dining room. Although she had not indicated that she wished him to do so, Blake took the load from her hands as he demanded;

"Here, let me carry this for you."

Seeing that she was about to argue, he squelched any objections that she might have had as he observed;

"A woman in your condition shouldn't be carrying such a heavy load."

Placing everything on the table, he stood leaning against the door frame of the dining room as he watched her set the table before venturing;

"You know something, Miss Jemma, you certainly make being a good wife look easy."

Glancing up from her task, Jemma offered a slight smile as she replied;

"Thank you, Mr. Anderson, I'll take that as a compliment."

Crossing his arms over his chest, he advised;

"Considering that your sister in law and I are about to be married, don't you think it would be alright if you called me 'Blake' and I call you 'Jemma'?"

She wasn't completely comfortable with his suggestion, but given that she couldn't find a valid argument against it, she offered in a noncommittal tone;

"I suppose that would be fine."

Having finished with the table, Jemma hurried past him, back into the kitchen, although she knew that it would prove fruitless since he quickly followed. Deciding to distract him in some way, she turned to offer;

"Mr...Blake, would you care for a cup of coffee?"

Nodding, he ventured;

"That would be nice, thank you, Jemma."

Once he took a seat at the kitchen table, Jemma set the cup in front of him as he observed;

"Jemma, that's a rather unusual name, isn't it? Might I ask how your parents decided on it?"

While she knew it was an innocent question, she couldn't help feeling uneasy as she explained;

"My brother, Jason, said once that, when I was born, our parents couldn't get over the fact that my eyes were the color they are and Father said that they reminded him of a bright emerald gem, so Mother and he decided to name me Jemma because of it."

Nodding, he ventured;

"A unique name for a unique woman. Tell me something, don't you resent all of this?"

Puzzled, she demanded;

"Resent all of what?"

Making a sweeping gesture with his hand, he clarified;

"All of this, being tied to the life of a wife and mother? A woman as beautiful and unique as you are should be seeing the world and living a life of excitement."

Shaking his head, he lamented;

"Your husband is a selfish man indeed to have forced marriage and motherhood on you the way that he has."

Rising from his chair to approach her, he offered;

"Haven't you ever considering seeing and living in places other than Seattle and of a life beyond being an ordinary wife and raising a house full of brats?"

Her eyes flashing fire as she tried to hold the rein in on her temper at his audacity, Jemma stepped back to put space between them as she crossed her arms across her middle to state in a low and very precise voice;

"Let me explain something to you, Mr. Anderson; first of all, I _AM_ living the life that I wanted. Secondly; as far as my husband being selfish and forcing me into marriage and motherhood, my husband waited for quite some time to marry me and when he proposed, I accepted eagerly and happily because I happen to love my husband very, _VERY_ much. And as far as forcing motherhood on me,"

Shaking her head vehemently;

"No, Mr. Anderson, Aaron didn't force anything on me that I didn't want as well."

Placing her hand over her stomach, she declared;

"This child is the result of the love that we have for each other and not because I was forced into anything, and let me assure you that this child is very much wanted."

Offering a slight chuckle as if amused by her statement, Blake stepped closer as he touched her cheek before trying to push his point as he demanded;

"But don't you think that you're being wasted in this backwoods place? I think a woman like you needs more excitement then what Seattle and definitely more than what your husband can offer you."

Her chest rising and falling with the effort to contain her temper, Jemma stated in a dangerously deceptive calm tone;

"What I think, Mr. Anderson is that you have exactly five seconds to remove your hand."  
Hearing the sound of the front door opening, Jemma stepped around him before turning to advise;

"Mr. Anderson, I'm not going to mention this incident, to either Julie or Aaron, although not for the reasons that you might be thinking. I don't want to break Julie's heart since she seems to love you so much, and I'm going to chalk this up to nerves at your impending marriage, at least I pray that's the case. As far as not telling my husband, it's not because of any guilt on my part, but because if Aaron were to find out, I don't think that there would be any way possible that I could calm him down or stop him from acting upon his anger."

Hearing the sound of Candy and Julie's voices coming from the front room, Jemma left him standing in the kitchen as she went to greet them. Although she presented the picture of calm decisiveness as she left the kitchen, when she was sure the door had closed behind her, she leaned against the wall to ask in a whisper;

"What am I going to do?"

Before she could think about it anymore, her best friend and sister in law entered the dining room and swept her up in their flurry of excitement and activity as they worked to finish the meal before Aaron and Jeremy had arrived. 


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Candy remained quiet as she dried the dishes, studying her best friend as Jemma worked silently while washing them. She could tell that something was bothering her, although she had been nothing but a gracious hostess during the evening, Candy could sense Jemma's frustration and concern below the surface. She had tried to reason that, just possibly, her condition could be playing a part in what she was sensing in her friend. But when she couldn't help but notice the obvious relief that Jemma had displayed when Blake had suggested that he and Julie should be leaving so that they might get an early start on an excursion that they had planned for the next day, Candy knew that the source of her friend's angst wasn't due to her pregnancy.

Deciding to try and thaw the ice of silence in the kitchen, Candy offered quietly;

"Would you like to talk about it?"

Jemma knew that trying to hide anything from Candy was, at best, difficult, the only person who proved more difficult when it came to trying to hide her feelings when something bothered her was Aaron. Sighing in resignation, she admitted;

"No, I really don't, but I suppose that I need to."

Glancing towards the doorway to make certain that it was closed, she finished washing the last dish before rinsing it to hand to Candy before lowering her voice;

"Candy, do I seem as if I'm unhappy in my marriage to you? Or that I'm not happy about the baby; honestly?"

Shocked, Candy stared at her in disbelief before shaking her head vehemently to exclaim;

"NO! To be honest, I hope that Jeremy and I can be, at least, half as happy in our marriage as you and Aaron seem to be in yours. And as far as the baby goes, you haven't seemed anything except happy about your condition."

Her mind racing with the pieces of the puzzle seeming to fall into place, Candy eyed Jemma suspiciously as she demanded;

"Jemma, does this have anything to do with Mr. Anderson?"

Tugging at her bottom lip in indecision, Jemma asked;

"Candy, what do you think of him; honestly?"

Folding her arms across her chest, Candy confessed;

"Well, he seems polite enough, but..."

Nodding, Jemma stated knowingly;

"There's just something about him?"

Nodding, Candy ventured;

"And, to be honest, it just doesn't seem as if he and Julie fit together. I mean they appear cordial enough as a couple and they seem friendly enough with each other, but it's like something is missing, something vital."

Shrugging slightly, Candy confided;

"I think that Julie believes he may well be the last chance that she has for marriage and a family. Even though she says she loves him, I can't help but notice that there isn't any sparkle in her eyes when she talks about him. There just doesn't seem to be any feeling there, at least not like it is..."

Finished her statement, Jemma offered;

"Like it is when you and Jeremy talk about each other?"

Nodding, Candy supplied;

"Or like it is when you and Aaron talk about each other. It's just as if he's there and it's a fact. Jemma, why doesn't Aaron talk to her about this?"

Motioning to the kitchen table as she poured them both a glass of lemonade, Jemma explained;

"He's worried that, after what happened when she was here the last time, she'll see it as him trying to be controlling and it will affect their relationship. Add to that, he feels that, given the fact he didn't tell her about our marriage until she arrived or the baby and the fact that I'm a good five years younger than she is, all of the factors combined may well find her less than receptive to his advice or concern."

Narrowing her gaze, Candy demanded;

"That's not all there is to what's going on with you tonight, is it, Jemma? Something happened before Julie and I arrived, didn't it?"

Looking down at the tabletop as if it might hold the answer in the pattern of the wood grain, Jemma lifted her eyes to meet Candy's as she stated in a tone that brooked nothing but deadly seriousness;

"Candy, you have got to SWEAR to me that you will not say one word of what I am about to tell you. You can't say anything to ANYONE and that includes Jeremy, Julie and most especially Aaron; do you promise?"

Her eyes showing her sincerity as she made a crossing motion over her heart and nodded solemnly, Jemma swallowed the lump of hesitation lodged in her throat as she decided to take a leap of faith before confiding;

"Yes, Candy, something did happen before you and Julie arrived. But the thing is that I know that my experience with men is somewhat 'limited'."

Finding a small bit of humor, Candy couldn't help but chuckle a bit as she pointed out;

"Jemma, limited is a vast understatement, isn't it?"

Seeing the amusement in Candy's eyes as well as finding the humor in the situation herself, Jemma couldn't help but giggle a slight bit as she nodded her agreement;

"Alright, Candy, point taken, you're right my ONLY experience with men would be my experience with Aaron. Although, mind you, if Maude and Helen had their way I would make Jezebel look like a nun."

Turning serious once, more, Jemma returned to the topic at hand as she explained the conversation that had taken place earlier between her and Blake Anderson. She wasn't surprised when Candy's eyes widened in shock as she demanded;

"You mean to tell me that he actually suggested that Aaron forced you into marriage and motherhood?"

Nodding her agreement of Candy's take on the situation, Jemma ventured;

"I know that this will sound strange, Candy, but I don't believe that he was doing it out of his own personal interest; at least not personal interest in me. The way that he kept mentioning 'seeing the world' and 'leaving Seattle', I would almost swear that it was more like he was trying to encourage me to leave my marriage and the territory."

Puzzled, Candy couldn't help but wonder aloud;

"Jemma, are you certain he wasn't trying to be...forward?"

Shaking her head, Jemma pointed out;

"Candy, I'll grant you that my experience with men may well be fairly nonexistent, but one thing that I know is when a man is interested in me."

Standing her ground, she confirmed;

"I may not be certain as what his true interest in me is, but there isn't a doubt in my mind that it's not a personal one."

Hearing the sound of Aaron and Jeremy approaching, Jemma warned;

"You promised, Candy, not one word." 

After Jeremy had bid goodnight to his sister and brother in law as well as thanking Jemma for a wonderful meal, Candy couldn't help but notice, as he escorted her home, how quiet and thoughtful he seemed. Deciding to break the silence, she asked;

"Jeremy?"

Continuing on their path, Jeremy simply replied;

"Yeah?"

Although she was certain that she already knew the answer, Candy prodded;

"You seem distant tonight, is there something wrong?"

Shaking his head, Jeremy assured her;

"Not with us, Candy, but I'm afraid there might be one with Julie and Anderson, but I don't think that it stops there. I think there's also a problem with Aaron and Jemma where all of this is concerned."

Deciding that, given his and Candy's determination for complete honesty in their relationship, he needed to share his suspicions regarding his oldest brother, Jeremy confided;

"But I don't think that those will be the only problems that we're going to see thanks to that man's arrival in Seattle."

Stopping short and pulling Jeremy to a halt as well, Candy demanded;

"What do you mean?"

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Jeremy advised;

"Candy, you can't say anything to anyone, but I heard Jason talking to himself the other day."

Seeing the look of curiosity on her face, Jeremy offered a quick explanation;

"When he has something on his mind, he does as our father did, he goes off to himself and sharpens the axes and saws so he can think. Anyway, I don't think that the act that Jason put on when Julie was here last was all an act."

Her eyes widening in shock as her jaw dropped a bit, she stammered;

"Do you mean to say that you think..."

Nodding, Jeremy confirmed her suspicions as he ventured;

"I think that Jason is in love with Julie Stempel."

Biting at her bottom lip, Candy speculated;

"Jeremy, you know I've noticed how Julie just doesn't act as a woman in love with a man would when she's around Mr. Anderson. But I noticed how, the other day when she noticed Jason on his way into Ben's store, the look that came over her face. Jeremy, it was so obvious, I think that, even though it started as an act to convince Aaron to give Julie her share of the inheritance and buy out her share of the mill, despite themselves, they fell in love with each other. But I don't think that either of them realized it at the time."

Seeing a familiar look in her eyes, Jeremy ordered;

"No, Candy. I can see it in your eyes, but no matchmaking, if anything comes of it, it has to be because it works out between the two of them. No interference, especially considering that Anderson is in the picture."

Taking both of her hands in his as they reached the front door of the dormitory, Jeremy lowered his voice as he begged;

"Candy, please promise me, you can't say anything to, either, Julie or Jason."

Relenting, Candy nodded as she agreed;

"Alright, Jeremy, I promise that I won't say anything to either of them about this."

Kissing her goodnight, Jeremy praised;

"That's my girl."

Hugging her tightly, he advised;

"I guess that you better get inside since it's almost curfew."

Stepping off the porch, he turned to remind her;

"Remember, Candy, not a word."

Nodding her agreement, Candy went inside and pushed the door closed before leaning her back against it as she considered in a quiet voice;

"I promise, Jeremy, not a word to Jason or Julie. But you didn't say anything about Jemma."

With that, she made up her mind to

have a conversation with her future sister in law the next day. 

Aaron couldn't help but cast covert glances at Jemma as he sipped his coffee. He knew that she had passed a restless night, although she slept, she seemed to toss and turn throughout the night. Holding his cup out as she offered him more coffee, Aaron couldn't help ask;

"Sweetheart, are you feeling alright?"

Offering a slight nod, she offered him a puzzled look as she ventured;

"I'm fine, honey, why do you ask."

Noticing how she was pushing her food around on her plate but not really eating anything, he pointed out;

"Jemma love, you're not eating."

Giving a slight shake of her head, she offered quietly;

"I'm not really hungry this morning."

Bracing his arms on the tabletop, Aaron sighed in determination as he stated;

"Darlin, you know that it's important for you to eat in your condition. Not to mention, remember what happened when you didn't before? I don't want you passing out if it can be prevented."

As she laid her fork on the table carefully, Aaron could see by the sparks that seemed to have begun flickering in her eyes that, even before she spoke in a deceptively calm and precise tone, her temper had been riled. Any doubts that he had to the contrary were soon squelched as she stated;

"Aaron, my mother managed to carry and give birth to four of us and I'm sure that her life was considerably less comfortable than mine is. I'm also quite sure that I'm more than capable of carrying and bearing this child, thank you very much."

Biting his tongue for a few moments, Aaron counted slowly to ten before choosing his words carefully;

"Jemma love, I have no doubts that you'll prove just as capable at carrying, bearing and raising our child, just as you have everything else that you've done so far in your life, so if I've upset you, I'm sorry. However, what I won't apologize for is my concern for your welfare, especially since I made a promise to you and God that I would do everything in my power to make certain that you were well cared for and that any children we have will be as well. Now, if it makes you feel better to be mad at me, then, by all means, love, feel free to do so, but it can wait until you've at least put something in your stomach and have finished your glass of milk. Do I make myself clear, Jemma Elysia Bolt Stempel?"

Despite her earlier show of temper, Jemma knew that she was wrong and her husband was right. She was being stubborn out of her frustration and Aaron was calling her on it out of genuine concern for her and their unborn child, something that found her doing something out of character; crying. The determined look that Aaron had worn as he had stood firm in his position quickly changed to a look of deep concern as his wife lowered her head and he realized that she had begun to cry. Pushing his chair back from the table, Aaron reached out to take her hand as he pulled her from her chair and into his lap before wrapping his arms around her in an attempt to comfort her, assuming that he was the reason for the tears that she was now shedding. Holding her close as she buried her face against his shoulder, Aaron patted her back as he tried calming her;

"Jemma, sweetheart, I'm sorry if I spoke too harshly. I didn't mean to upset you, love, I just want to make sure that you and the baby are as happy and healthy as possible."

Pushing her back so that he could place his finger under her chin to bring her eyes up to meet his, Aaron couldn't help but feel deep concern at the sadness and frustration that he saw in the emerald depths of his wife's eyes. His worry increased when he realized that her outburst wasn't necessarily the result of his earlier attempt to exert his authority, a fact even more evident when she shook her head before trying to reassure him;

"You didn't upset me, honey, I promise. I guess that I didn't really rest very well last night and that I'm just a little emotional right now. I'm sorry, I just don't know exactly what's wrong with me."

All Aaron could think to do for her as she laid her head on his shoulder to bury her face against the side of his neck before more tears began falling from her eyes was to simply hold her until her tears subsided and she had quieted. When she lifted her head from his shoulder, she shook her head in remorse as she lamented;

"I'm sorry, I got your shirt all wet."

Taking the napkin from the table, he wiped her tears away as he shook his head before observing;

"I'm not concerned about my shirt, there are plenty in the dresser, I'm concerned about you."

Searching her eyes, his voice full of worry as he asked;

"Are you sure that you're alright? I mean, I know that women in your condition get emotional from time to time, but, darlin, are you sure that there isn't something else bothering you?"

Even though she wanted, more than anything, to tell him what had happened with Anderson, Jemma knew that there was no way that she could, not unless she wanted to put her husband and his sister's relationship at risk. Taking a deep breath she wrapped her arms around his neck as she shook her head and ventured;

"No, I think that maybe if I just got out of the house today that might help, I think that I might just be a little restless."

Pushing her hair over her shoulder, Aaron suggested;

"Would you like to go to the mill with me today? I was going to see about inventory for the next contract order that we're working on, and I could definitely use the help of a certain beautiful wife who would put my mind at ease if she were in the office dealing with the paperwork while I'm in the mill."

Glad to see the smile that lit her face as she nodded eagerly, he suggested;

"Alright then, let me help you clear the table and I'll change my shirt while you get ready." 

Lottie couldn't help but notice, as she came down the stairs, the look of frustration that Candy seemed to be wearing as she sat at one of the tables drinking soda pop. Pouring herself a cup of coffee before joining the young woman she greeted;

"Hello, Candy, is there something the matter?"

Offering the woman, that most of the brides had come to think of as a second mother, a warm smile of greeting, Candy shook her head as she explained;

"Oh nothing, Lottie. It's just that I had wanted to talk to Jemma about something but she's not at home."

Taking a sip from her cup, Lottie ventured;

"Well, Candy, it's not like Seattle is a huge metropolis, there are only so many places that she would be. Generally, if she isn't here, at home, or with you girls, then she's probably at the mill with Aaron, helping out in the office."

Shaking her head as her face became a mask of self frustration at not having considered that possibility for herself, Candy couldn't help but exclaim excitedly;

"Oh, Lottie, you're a genius. I don't know why I didn't think of that myself."

Seeing the girl's excitement as she rose, Lottie halted her as she thought of something;

"Just a minute, Candy."

Getting up from the table, she went behind the bar and brought out a plate that was wrapped, as well as two bottles of soda pop to hand them to Candy before explaining;

"There's a soda for you and some ginger soda for Jemma, I know it helps settle her stomach. There's also a piece of chocolate orange cake that I was saving for her, and,"

Reaching back under the bar to take out a small basket, Lottie produced a container of milk as she advised sternly;

"Here is some milk to go with her cake. You tell her that I expect her to eat every bite of that cake and to drink every drop of that milk or she'll have me to answer to. Understand?"

Packing the items in the small basket, Candy couldn't help but giggle a bit as she nodded;

"I understand, Lottie, I'll tell her."

Taking the basket, Candy left the saloon and followed the familiar trail to the sawmill, eager to talk with Jemma. She had been considering just how to begin the conversation when she heard a strange noise in the woods and noticed, what appeared to be, a man hurrying through the trees. Narrowing her gaze as she tried to focus through the shards of bright sunlight that seemed intent on playing peek a boo through the tall branches, Candy couldn't quite make out the figure, although she thought, in a brief glimpse, whoever it was reminded her of Blake Anderson. Shaking her head, she admonished herself aloud;

"Oh that's silly, Candy Pruitt, you know that Julie said they were going to site see some of the places around Seattle today, why would he be walking through the woods with a sack?"

Dismissing the thought she continued on her way, her mood growing lighter as she got closer to the mill. 

Jemma sat going over the stack of receipts and bills of lading as she divided them into their appropriate groups before entering the information into the appropriate ledgers. She had just finished with one of the stacks when there was a brief knock on the door just before Candy opened it a bit to peek her head in as she offered brightly;

"Could you use a little female companionship?"

Candy felt rewarded as a bright smile lit her friend's face as she motioned for her to enter the office before rising from her chair to approach her as she hugged her before greeting;

"I most definitely could, yes. But why are you up here?"

Noticing the basket, she joked;

"Shouldn't you be taking a picnic basket up to the logging camp to my brother instead of me?"

Laughing, happy to see her friend's good mood, especially given the events that had taken place the evening before with Anderson. Setting the basket on the spot on the desk that Jemma had cleared, she decreed;

"Well, this is specifically for you. Lottie told me to tell you that you are to eat every bite of the piece of chocolate orange cake that she saved and sent

specifically for you and you are to drink every drop of the milk that she sent as well."

Pulling the two bottles of soda pop that Lottie had sent as well, she offered;

"She also sent you a ginger soda pop, just in case your stomach was unsettled."

Shaking her head as she pulled the cake and the milk from the basket, Jemma observed;

"You know something, Candy? Between Lottie and Aaron, I'm going to get fat and this baby will be huge."

Pulling the towel from the plate and seeing the size of the piece of cake that Lottie had sent, she looked at her best friend pleadingly;

"Candy, there is no way I can eat all of this cake. Would you help me, please?"

Pulling out one of the forks, Candy nodded eagerly as she declared;

"Gladly!"

Taking a bite she closed her eyes as she sighed in delight before praising;

"I don't know how or where Lottie learned how to make this cake, but it is the most delicious cake I think I've ever eaten."

Swallowing the sip of milk that she had just taken, Jemma nodded her agreement as she offered;

"I know, I also know how and where Lottie learned how to make it."

Her eyes widening in shock, Candy demanded;

"You do! Well, tell me."

Laughing, Jemma scooped another forkful of cake as she explained;

"She learned how to make it from my mother. Lottie said that when she first came to Seattle, Mother was, almost, the only female friend that she had so she and Mother spent a lot of time together and they taught each other things like sewing and cooking. What one didn't know the other did, so they exchanged their knowledge. As it turned out, Mother was one of the reasons that Lottie became so accepted and respected here."

Fascinated to learn more about Lottie and more about Julietta Bolt, Candy leaned forward as she encouraged;

"What happened?"

Having had more than enough of the cake, Jemma took a drink of her milk before pushing the plate towards Candy, who happily obliged to finish the desert, she began;

"Well, Lottie had lived here for, I guess about five or so years, maybe a bit longer, anyway, Mother was expecting me and the midwife who had helped deliver Jason, Joshua, and Jeremy was away when Mother went into early labor with me."

Her eyes wide with the anticipation of the story, Candy set her fork on the empty plate as she braced her elbows on the desktop before resting her chin in her open palms to demand in shock;

"You were an early baby?"

Nodding, Jemma confirmed;

"Yes, Jason said that I came almost a month or more before I was supposed to."

Spellbound, Candy pushed;

"Go on, what happened next?"

Tugging at her bottom lip as she relayed the story of the night that she was born, Jemma continued;

"According to Jason, he said the night that I was born, after he found out that the midwife was nowhere to be found, Father tried to ask any of the other women that lived about Seattle to come to help Mother, but none would do so. Even our benevolent Seattle Ladies' Betterment League, otherwise known as Helen Dalton, refused to try and help Mother."

Seeing the shocked look on Candy's face, Jemma asked;

"I know, shocking isn't it; especially considering how helpful she and Maude Burns generally try to be to the populace, but that was the case. Anyway, Jason said that Mother seemed to be having a much harder time then what he remembered her having with Joshua or with Jeremy."

Curious, Candy couldn't help but ask;

"Did you ever find out why she had such a hard time?"

Shrugging her slight shoulders, Candy could see the sadness in Jemma's eyes as she speculated;

"No, Jason said that there were too many factors that could have been at fault; her age, her health, or just one of those things that happen in nature sometimes. But, anyway, Father was down to, what he thought was, his last option; Lottie. You see, Father didn't know that Mother and Lottie had become such good friends, but when he went into the saloon and told Lottie what was going on, she immediately closed and went back to the cabin with him to help Mother."

Her eyes widening in realization, Candy stated in a tone of hushed reverence;

"Lottie delivered you! That's why Lottie is so protective of you, isn't it?"

Nodding, Jemma ventured;

"That and she helped Jason raise me"

Giving a slight shake of her head, she acknowledged;

"Lottie is really the only mother that I've ever known. I don't remember anything about Mother at all."

Curious, Candy asked quietly;

"Do you remember anything about your father?"

Stopping a moment as she searched her memory, Jemma's lips curled up in a slightly sad smile as she confided;

"I remember when he would smoke his pipe and I remember him lifting me up to sit on his lap in his chair by the fire."

Shaking her head, she admitted;

"But that's all that I remember."

Crossing her arms across the top of the desk, Candy eyed her friend knowingly as she voiced her theory aloud;

"That's one of the reasons that you're so happy that Aaron takes such an interest in your condition, isn't it?"

Nodding, realizing that trying to hide anything from her best friend and soon to be sister in law, was useless, Jemma confessed;

"Yes. Please don't misunderstand, Candy; I love my brothers and I love Lottie, but there are times, especially when they talk about the memories they have of Mother and Father, that I resent my brothers for the time that they got to spend with our parents."

Her eyes taking on a look of sadness as she placed her hand over her stomach, Jemma stated in a determined tone;

"What I want for this baby is what I didn't have; to grow up with his or her mother and father and to know the love of both."

Remembering the reason for her visit, Candy's eyes widened as she held her hands up in excitement before exclaiming;

"Oh my, I almost forgot the reason that I came to see you in the first place."

Leaning closer to preserve the sense of confidentiality, Candy lowered her voice as she revealed;

"Jeremy told me last night, but you can't breathe a word; promise?"

Nodding solemnly, Jemma vowed;

"You know I'd never betray your confidence."

Shaking her head, Candy pointed out;

"You can't even tell Aaron."

Seeing the look of indecision, Candy held both her hands up in a firm gesture as she firmly stated;

"Jemma, I'm serious! I know that you and Aaron are completely honest with each other, but you have to keep this to yourself, at least for right now."

Sighing in resignation, she finally nodded as she promised;

"Alright, Candy, I won't tell Aaron. But I think that it's only fair to tell you that if it should become necessary to do so, I'm not going to keep it from him. Fair enough?"

Accepting her declaration, Candy nodded as she proceeded;

"That's fair enough. Alright, Jeremy told me that the reason Jason has been so down lately isn't just because of the letter he got from Dana; it's because of Julie."

Her face reflecting her shock, Jemma demanded;

"Julie? Why because of Julie?"

Candy leaned closer across the desk as she explained;

"Do you remember Julie's last visit?"

Rolling her eyes as her face took on a look of sarcasm, Jemma quipped;

"It's not exactly likely that I would forget that, Candy. Now is it?"

Candy could see her point, especially given that Jason and Aaron had ended up in a brawl, thanks in large part to some skillful manipulation on Clancy and Ben's part. At the time, Candy couldn't understand why the only person in Seattle who had not turned out to see the much-anticipated fight between the two headstrong opponents had been Jemma. However, after she had learned of just how long Jemma and Aaron had been in love and had been secretly engaged, Candy understood the tears that she had seen in her friend's eyes when she found her after the fight near the lake. At the time she had thought that the tears had merely been for Jason's sake, but she realized later that the tears had been more for the pain that Jemma must have felt at the idea of her brother and the man that she loved beating on each other out of stubborn pride and arrogance. Bringing her thoughts back to the present, Candy offered apologetically as she continued with her revelations;

"I'm sorry, Jemma, but anyway, well Jeremy said that, in the process of putting on an act to convince Aaron to buy out Julie's share of the mill and to release her share of the inheritance, the act became real."

Her eyes widening in shock as the realization of what Candy was saying meant, Jemma asked in an astonished tone;

"Are you saying that Jason is in love with Julie?"

Nodding, Candy affirmed;

"From what Jeremy said; yes, I think so."

Bracing her elbow on the desk, Jemma rested her chin in her hand as she processed all of the information before turning to Candy to speculate;

"I think I just realized something. Do you remember how furious Jason became when Aaron approached him about marrying me?"

Silently, Candy nodded as Jemma continued;

"Candy, I think that it may well be possible that he was still mad, even though he would never admit it, at Aaron."

Offering a slight nod, Candy considered aloud;

"I think that's very possible. I mean, he sort of tricked himself into falling in love and he did it to help Julie deal with Aaron."

Deciding to offer her own theory, Candy ventured;

"Well, I don't think that Jason was the only one who fell into that trap."

Puzzled, Jemma demanded;

"What do you mean?"

Pinning her with her eyes, Candy inquired;

"Jemma, don't tell me that you haven't noticed the relationship between Julie and Mr. Anderson."

Shaking her head, Jemma corrected;

"Or you mean the lack of one, rather."

Shaking her head sadly, Jemma clarified;

"I've noticed, so has Aaron. They aren't exactly the warmest of couples, are they?"

Nodding, Candy agreed;

"I know, Jeremy has said the same things. But that's not all, there are little things that Julie has mentioned that make me think that, just maybe, she has feelings for Jason as well."

Noting the look of incredulity that Jemma wore, she demanded;

"Jemma, why on earth hasn't Aaron talked to her about this? I mean, he is her brother, surely she would listen to him."

Spreading her hands in a pleading gesture, Jemma explained;

"Candy, as I told you last night, doesn't think that he would be able to get through to her. Considering that she's five almost six years older than I am, not to mention the fact that he waited until she arrived to tell her about our marriage, not to mention the baby, and add to that the problems that they had before; he's afraid that if he says anything or doesn't say the right thing that he'd lose his relationship with his sister."

Noticing the clock on the wall, Candy rose to begin packing of the basket that she had brought as she suggested;

"Jemma, I think that he needs to talk to his sister because I can't help but feel that if she were to marry Mr. Anderson that she would be making a horrible mistake."

Nodding, Jemma rose to help her as she confirmed;

"I have that same feeling, Candy."

Picking up a small stack of papers from the desk, Jemma motioned to the door as she offered;

"I'll walk you out, I have to go down to the mill anyway to ask Aaron about these bills of lading."

Opening the door and bidding each other farewell as Candy started on the trail back to town, Jemma stood for a minute to offer a slight wave of farewell before turning to make her way to the cutting area of the mill. Neither woman noticed the specter that seemed to be lurking in the woods and bushes just behind the office or the sack that he was carefully handling.

Aaron was focusing on one of the cogwheels of the large band saw when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Given his position, laying on his back underneath the large piece of machinery, he was thanking his luck as he ordered;

"Harve, hand me that wrench, I think I found our problem."

Taking the large tool he offered;

"Thanks, Harve, I hate taking my eyes off of it once I've found the problem."

Reaching up to adjust it, he tested the part and, certain that it was fixed, nodded in satisfaction as he pushed the tools from under the machine before pulling himself out from underneath as well as he ventured;

"I'm sure glad that you showed up, Harve, I owe you."

His attention had been so focused on wiping the dirt and grime that he had acquired from the machine from his hands that he found himself pleasantly surprised as he heard his wife's soft voice demand;

"Oh really? Well if you were going to owe Harve if he had been the one to hand you the wrench, what's my reward."

Offering a slight chuckle at her statement as he stood, Aaron considered;

"Well, if it had been Harve, I would have bought him a beer later on. But, since it's you,"  
Leaning closer to her, he suggested;

"How about this?"

With that he gave her a sound kiss before joking;

"You should feel privileged; no one else gets that type of bonus."

Giggling, Jemma quipped;

"I should hope not, honey. I mean, can you imagine the look on Harve's face if you tried to offer him that type of bonus?"

Shaking his head at her humor, glad to see it after her outburst that morning, Aaron couldn't help but laugh as he observed;

"I'm sure that Harve would prefer that I stick to cash bonuses for him and the crew and save these types of 'bonuses' for you."

Noticing the papers in her hand as he made his way to the washbasin to wash the rest of the grime from the machinery from his hands, Aaron motioned to them as he asked;

"What are those?"

Waiting until he had finished drying his hands, Jemma handed the stack of papers to her husband as she explained;

"I was a little confused about these bills of lading, that's all."

Scanning each one, in turn, Aaron explained;

I'm sorry, sweetheart, I forgot to tell you about this. This operation pays their bill monthly; once they receive their payments they send us our payment."

Shaking her head in frustration, she admonished herself;

"I should have figured that out for myself, I should have just looked at the past bills and I would have known that."

Handing the stack back to her, Aaron draped his arm across her shoulders as he led her back in the direction of the office before pointing out;

"Jemma love, it's not like you're here every day and accepting payments in that time frame on that account is something new that we started. So stop kicking yourself because you didn't know this one little thing, I'm just grateful that you have sense enough to ask instead of making up your own system."

Placing a kiss on her cheek, he suggested;

"I have an idea; why don't you go back to the office and get your things, I'll put these tools away and get cleaned up and we'll go over to Lottie's for some lunch."

Nodding eagerly, she gave him a quick kiss as she agreed;

"You have a deal!"

Aaron couldn't help but laugh at her eagerness as he began clearing away the tools scattered about. Jemma hurried back to the mill office, eager to comply with her husband's suggestion. Despite the events of the previous day, she couldn't help but feel her spirits lift at the thought of enjoying an hour with her husband; although had she packed a basket, they could have gone to the picnic grounds for their lunch instead of Lottie's, but still, any time spent with Aaron was time that she enjoyed. She was in such a happy anticipatory mood as she rushed into the office to get her bag that she only gave the sack laying on the floor by the open window a curious glance before dismissing it as something that she had merely overlooked before. Making her way to the coat tree in the corner to gather her bag and Aaron's jacket, eager and happy, Jemma found her mood swiftly changed as she heard a strange sound coming from the direction of the desk. Her puzzlement soon turned to horror when she turned and realized what the strange rattling noise was as she found herself cornered by the large rattlesnake that was now coiled, as if ready to strike, by the desk. 


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4 **

Having finished with putting the tools away and cleaning up Aaron was making his way to the office when he met up with Jason. Despite their own personal relationship in the past, since he and Jemma had gotten married and the knowledge of her condition had become known, Aaron and Jason had seemed to come to a new understanding in how they dealt with each other. Aaron couldn't help but wonder at the slightly grim mask that Jason now wore, something that had been the case for the last week or more. Approaching him, Aaron offered his hand as he greeted;

"Well, Jason what brings you up this way? We haven't seen you in a few days, where have you been keeping yourself?"

Taking his brother in law's hand, Jason explained;

"I thought I'd come to see about discussing an order with you and see how Pixie is doing. I ran into Candy and she told me that she was helping out in the office today."

Nodding, Aaron explained;

"Yeah, I thought it would be a good idea to get her out of the house."

Stopping he confided;

"To be honest, Jason, I didn't exactly need the help, I could have caught the paperwork and what have you up in no time. But, she broke down crying this morning, I thought that maybe it was because I got on to her about not eating her breakfast, but it wasn't that."

Concerned, Jason demanded;

"Well did you find out what it was?"

Shaking his head, Aaron admitted;

"No, she just said that she was feeling emotional, but I don't think that's necessarily it, at least not all of it. Jason you and I both know that Jemma doesn't just burst into tears for no reason. But, she said that she thought maybe she was feeling a little restless and just needed to get out of the house for a while, so I offered to bring her to work with me. So far she seems in a much better mood, although I still think that there's something else bothering her."

Offering a slight shrug, Jason ventured;

"Well, Aaron, it is possible that she is just being a bit emotional. I mean, after all, expectant mothers tend to get that way you know."

Sighing in resignation that he had a point, Aaron nodded as he speculated;

"You might have a point. I mean I've never been around a woman when she was expecting and certainly not as close as I am to Jemma, so this is all as new to me as it is to her."

Motioning towards the office Aaron suggested;

"Come on, she and I were just about to go to Lottie's for lunch, why don't you join us? I know that Jemma would be happy to see you."

Slapping his brother in law on the back as a genuine smile found its way to his face for the first time in days, Jason agreed;

"I don't mind if I do, Aaron, thank you."

Opening the office door, his good mood evident in the smile that he wore, Aaron was about to inform her of Jason's presence when he stopped short, seeing the look of fright and concern that his wife wore as she stood perfectly still, as if frozen. Furrowing his brow, Aaron couldn't help but look puzzled as he demanded;

"Jemma, sweetheart, what's the matter?"

It wasn't until they widened even more that he noticed how her eyes moved slightly in the direction of the floor by the corner of the desk, as well as the slight rattling noise he heard, that Aaron looked down to realize just why his wife was in such a state. Despite the feeling of panic filling his chest, he pushed it back down as he held his hand up slowly as Jason was about to enter the office. Pointing in the direction, he advised in a hushed tone;

"Jason, we have a HUGE problem."

Seeing what Aaron was referring to, Jason's panic for his sister soon matched Aaron's as he held his hand up in a halting manner before ordering;

"Pixie, don't move!"

Barely moving her lips, Jemma offered in a whisper-soft tone;

"Don't worry, I won't."

His puzzlement reflected in his face, Jason gave a slight shake of his head as he wondered aloud;

"How in the world did that thing get in here?"

Turning to pin his brother in law with his eyes, Aaron pointed out;

"I don't particularly care how it got in here, let's just get it out and worry about THAT later."

Glancing around the office, Jason shook his head as he pointed out in frustration;

"There's nothing around large enough to slam over top of it to trap it with."

Noticing that the rattling noise from the reptile's tail was beginning to get louder and faster, Aaron's frustration grew at the situation as he issued in a frustrated tone;

"Well we have to do something, you know, as well as I do, just what it means when that sound gets louder and faster; that thing is getting ready to strike."

Noticing a long fishing pole by the door, Jason pursed his lips as he considered before suggesting;

"Aaron, how fast do you think you can be?"

Although the question puzzled him slightly, given the severity of the situation, Aaron stated adamantly;

"As fast as I have to be, what do you have in mind?"

Taking the pole in his hand, he motioned towards the snake as he speculated;

"We may not be able to trap it, at the moment, but maybe we can distract it. If we can, with her right in front of the window and since it's open..."

Nodding his understanding, Aaron ventured;

"You distract it while I pull her out of the window?"

Placing his hand on his brother in law's shoulder, Jason advised;

"Aaron, you've got to be sure that you can do this, you have to pull her out as fast as possible, because I have to get this thing close enough to divert its attention, but it won't move very far from where it is now and that will still be within striking distance."

Understanding what he was saying, Aaron nodded as he promised;

"I know, Jason, I understand."

Motioning towards the window, Aaron shook his head as he pointed out;

"I'm glad that I didn't get the glass replaced yet."

Nodding, Jason agreed;

"Right this second; so am I. Now, you slip around back, but you've got to stay out of that thing's line of vision until I distract it, because any movement that you make is going to cause it to strike and, right now, Jemma's the bigger target."

Easing his way back out the door, Aaron acknowledged;

"I know, Jason, I know. Just do what you have to do and I'll take care of my wife."

As quietly as possible Aaron eased around to the backside of the office, making sure to avoid walking in front of the window as he got as close to the side where Jemma stood before stating quietly;

"Love, all you have to do is let me do all the work. Once Jason distracts that thing I'm going to pull you through here, and don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you or the baby, I promise."

Jason, seeing that Aaron was in place, advised quietly;

"Alright, Aaron, get ready."

As quietly as possible, Jason approached the backside of the desk, well out of snake's strike range, and slowly lifted the pole over his head before quickly bringing it down on the floor close to the snake. Doing as he had hoped it would the rattler's attention focused near the tip of the pole which found it leaping in that direction as Jason ordered;

"NOW, AARON!"

Jemma felt her husband's arms wrap tightly about her waist just before she felt herself being yanked backward through the window before she landed on top of him. Laying her head back against Aaron's chest for a moment, she closed her eyes in silent, grateful prayer before letting a sigh of relief escape her lips, Jemma felt Aaron's grip around her waist slacken as they heard the office door slam shut and the sound of Jason's heavy footsteps as he ran around the side of the office to appear by their side as he extended his hand to take hers to help her up before demanding sharply;

"Pixie, are you alright?"

Taking a moment to catch her breath as Jason helped Aaron up from where he had landed to cushion her fall when he pulled her through the window, Jemma nodded as she offered;

"Yes, but I don't understand it, Jason. That was a rattlesnake and they're usually only by the butte or the rock cliff, not to mention how did it find its way in there and at this time of year."

Shaking his head, Aaron placed his hand over her stomach as his voice brooked no doubt as to his concern as he demanded;

"Darlin, are you sure you're alright? You didn't land too hard did you?"

Despite her earlier fear and the danger of the situation, Jemma couldn't help but offer a slight chuckle as she placed her hand on his cheek before pointing out;

"Aaron, darling, considering that I landed on you, I should be asking YOU that question."

Once he was assured that she wasn't hurt in any way, Aaron ventured;

"I'm just fine, love, considering how little you are, I can promise you that I didn't even feel your weight when we hit the porch."

His mood turning serious as he glanced inside the window, Aaron nodded towards the unwanted visitor as he asked the same question his wife had;

"I'm like Jemma, I want to know HOW that thing got in there."

Turning towards her, Aaron asked;

"Jemma, did you leave the door open when you came down to ask me about those bills of lading?"

Shaking her head, she recalled;

"No, I made certain that I closed it because I walked Candy out when she left."

His curiosity raised by his concern for his sister, Jason demanded;

"Neither of you saw or heard it near the office?"

Jemma considered for a moment before shaking her head in denial;

"No, why would we even think to look for a rattlesnake around here, Jason? And we definitely didn't hear one."

Jemma couldn't help the look of suspicion that crossed her features as a thought occurred to her, something that Aaron didn't miss which found him placing his hand on her shoulder before asking;

"You've thought of something, haven't you, love? What is it?"

Tugging at her bottom lip with her teeth, she explained her thoughts;

"Well, it might be nothing, but when I came back

into the office to get my bag and your coat, I noticed a sack by the other window. I didn't think anything about it, I thought that I just might have not noticed it, but I don't remember it being there before."

Glancing inside the office, Jason and Aaron noticed the sack laying by the other window and how the snake was now curled up on it. Shaking his head, Aaron pointed out;

"That sack wasn't there this morning when I went to work on the band saw, I'm sure of that."

Jason took a deep breath to steady himself as he ventured;

"I have the feeling that the snake and the sack appeared at the same time."

Jemma looked from her husband to her brother in shock as she comprehended just what that meant before demanding;

"Are you saying that someone PUT that thing in there?"

At her brother's silent nod she pleaded;

"But why? I mean why would anyone want to do something like that? Who on earth would want to do something so horrible?"

Deciding to table the topic for the moment, Jason jerked his thumb in the direction of the unwanted visitor as he offered;

"Aaron, why don't you take Pixie on over to Lottie's and let her settle down and I'll see about evicting your unwanted guest."

Catching Jason's unspoken meaning, Aaron simply nodded as he took Jemma's arm;

"Come on, sweetheart, I think I could use a drink and you could use a change a scenery."

Understanding the unspoken question on her face Jason patted her arm as he reassured her;

"You go on with your husband, baby sister, I'll be down directly as soon as I take care of this."

At her silent nod of agreement, Aaron advised;

"We'll see you at Lottie's."

Watching as they made their way towards the trail, Jason stood for a moment, contemplating what had just transpired. Although he had no doubts that Jemma had guessed right when it came to her assumption that someone had purposefully put the rattlesnake in the mill's office, what he didn't think she realized was that it had to have been a malicious act against her and not her husband. That in itself panicked Jason because he knew, without a doubt, that there wasn't anyone that he could think of who would want to see his sister come to such harm.

Julie sat on the balcony of the dormitory in a somewhat sullen mood. She had thought that the sightseeing excursion that Blake has proposed would lift her spirits, but soon discovered that it had seemed to have the opposite effect on her mood, although, if she were honest with herself, she would admit that one of the main contributing factors to her frustration was the fact that she had not, as of yet, seen Jason Bolt since her arrival. Something that she found even more frustrating because, given her engagement, she knew that she shouldn't care whether or not she saw the man, but, admittedly, care she did. She couldn't help but feel guilty at the poor company that she had made for Blake during their outing, but, as usual, he had been understanding and solicitous. Even suggesting that, perhaps, she might prefer resting while he ventured about on his own.

When Julie had returned to San Francisco after her last visit, although she was relieved by her newfound financial freedom, since Aaron had released her portion of their shared inheritance and bought out her share of the mill as well, she couldn't help but feel a little remorseful at the method that she and Jason had employed to push her brother into agreeing with the idea. Although the plan to make Aaron think that they were romantically involved and considering marriage had been a charade to push him into agreeing to give Julie her financial freedom, she couldn't deny the pangs of regret that she felt, not because of how they had deceived her brother, but because she couldn't deny that, as far as she was concerned, the act, at least on her part, wasn't all acting. She had found herself developing feelings for Jason.

At the time, she had believed that it was just her gratefulness for his willingness to help her gain her freedom to live her life free of her older brother's dictates. She had even confessed as much to Candy and Jason, but once she had returned to San Francisco, she found herself thinking of the time that she and Jason had spent together, more often than what she had wished; it was to that end that she had made the acquaintance of Blake Anderson. Having decided that she was tired of rattling about her house with her memories of Jason, she decided to treat herself to a play at the San Francisco Opera House and that was where she had met Blake. She couldn't help remembering how debonair, charming, intelligent and sophisticated he had seemed and just how taken with him she had found herself becoming.

Over the next few months, Julie found herself enjoying his company and fascinated by the stories that he shared with her about his experiences and travels. She couldn't help finding herself smitten the more time that she spent in his company, so much so that when he proposed she had accepted immediately. However, if she was completely honest with herself, she would have admitted that a large part of the reason she had accepted his proposal was because, when she was with him, her thoughts of Jason Bolt were non-existent, something that gave her the idea that accepting Blake's offer of marriage was a wise thing to do. The problem, however, was that when she was no longer in Blake's presence her thoughts tended to wander, like a stray puppy, back to Jason Bolt.

One of the reasons that she had given Blake for her desire to be married in Seattle was so that he would be able to make her brother's acquaintance as well as having her only living relative at her wedding to give her away. That was the reason that she had admitted to, what she didn't admit to Blake was that she wanted to prove to herself that her thoughts of Jason were only the product of her silly imagination and the reality of Jason Bolt was in no way any competition for the reality of Blake Anderson. Although she had been certain of that theory throughout their journey, the truth was that when she had discovered that Aaron had, not only married but, married Jason's sister, Jemma, she found the thought coming to mind that, just maybe, the idea of marrying Jason Bolt wasn't as silly as she had thought it to be before; however, there were, at least, a few points that seemed to make that thought an unrealistic one. First; Jason had given no hint to any inclination in that realm of possibility or even what his feelings towards her might be. She wasn't naive enough to think that, just because she had feelings for him, Jason would be harboring those same types of feelings towards her. Second, and the aspect that shocked her the most, there was Blake to consider; she did care about him, but since their arrival in Seattle she couldn't help but wonder if that was enough to justify going through with the marriage, although she felt that she could be happily married to the man.

Even as Julie thought of the possibility of happiness with Blake she knew, deep down inside, that trying to convince herself of such a possibility was useless, especially after having witnessed the type of relationship that a TRULY loving marriage could produce, such as the one that Aaron and Jemma shared. Despite seeing evidence from Jeremy and Candy of how loving and caring a relationship could be between a man and woman, she had believed that type of passion and caring was something only to be found by the young during the courting stages of their relationships. Her theory was that, once you wed, the nature of love and passion changed to be more along the lines of security and comfort, like that of a close friend, simply one that you chose to spend your life and raise a family with. However, she soon found her theory torn to tatters after seeing the relationship that her brother and his wife shared in their marriage; while Julie didn't begrudge her brother the love and happiness that he had found with Jemma, especially given Aaron's normally serious and stoic nature; if anything she was grateful to find that he possessed the capacity for the love and passion that was so obvious whenever he would look at or talk about Jemma.

While her happiness for Aaron and Jemma was genuine, it was also proving to be a double-edged sword of sorts. Given that she had resigned herself to a marriage of fond companionship with the hopes of it developing into something of a more passionate nature as the relationship progressed, finding her brother, the last person that she could have imagined, capable of possessing the love and passion for his wife that Julie had only thought possible in fairy tales and romance stories, found her quickly becoming abhorrent to the idea of 'settling' for what she had previously thought marriage would be like. Seeing what her brother and Jemma shared, Julie found that, the more she thought about it, the less attractive the idea of hoping for a marriage where love might develop over time, rather than being the reason for choosing to share her life with someone, appealed to her. Julie found her thoughts interrupted as she noticed Aaron and Jemma heading into Lottie's; assuming that they were on their way to lunch, she called out and headed down the outside staircase to join them.

Although he had not come to the realization as quickly as Jason had, Aaron had come to the conclusion that what had taken place earlier at the mill had been no accident, and what worried him even more was the fact that, whoever had put the snake inside the mill office, they had to have been aware of the fact that Jemma had been in the office by herself for most of the morning and would be so again once Candy had left. He couldn't help but consider the idea that someone had placed the snake in the office intending to bring harm to his wife. Hearing Julie call out to them from the balcony of the dormitory, Aaron turned to Jemma to suggest;

"Sweetheart, I don't think we should mention this to anyone, at least not right now, not until we figure it all out."

He wasn't surprised by her slight nod as she agreed;

"You're right. Quite frankly, I would just as soon forget about it; please."

Before he could comment further, Julie ran up to join them as she greeted;

"Hello, you two. Are you going to Lottie's for lunch?"

Studying her sister in law for a moment, Julie's face took on a look of concern before demanding;

"Jemma, are you feeling alright? I mean, you look a little peaked and pale."

Aaron turned to scrutinize his wife's appearance for a moment; he had been so intent on making certain that she had not been bitten or physically injured that he had not considered the toll that the stress of her earlier situation might have taken on her. Taking her arm, he motioned towards Lottie's as he ventured;

"As a matter of fact, we are Julie. Why don't you join us? I think that Jemma just needs a good hot lunch inside her and something cool to drink and she'll feel much better."

Patting her arm, he suggested;

"And maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea if, after lunch, we went home so you can get a little rest, especially since everything is caught up at the office. What do you think, love?"

Normally, Jemma would have just gone back to the mill and finished out the day, but, as Dr. Wright had predicted, she couldn't help feeling somewhat tired, so Aaron's idea of seeking some rest after lunch was one that sounded very appealing to her. Finally, she nodded;

"I think that might well be a good idea, I am feeling just a little tired."

Aaron knew that, for Jemma to admit to feeling less than well, she must be feeling some of the symptoms of her pregnancy. Making their way to Lottie's, once he had his sister and wife settled at a table, he approached the bar to place their order for their lunch and something to drink. Seeing him approach, Lottie was about to greet him cheerfully, until she noticed Jemma's appearance, something that found her frowning sharply as she demanded in a hushed tone;

"Aaron, is Jemma alright? She doesn't look as if she feels very well at the moment."

Casting a quick glance over his shoulder, he turned back to Lottie to speculate;

"I think that she's just a little tired today, Lottie. And to be honest, I think that she might be having a little morning sickness."

Nodding her understanding, Lottie suggested;

"Well, I have some nice stew and I know that she likes that. Here,"

Reaching under the bar, she produced two bottles of soda pop as she advised;

"You go take that to Jemma and Julie and I'll see about your lunch and I'll bring you a beer in a moment; alright?"

Lottie stood a moment, observing Jemma as Aaron took the chair next to her. She could see, even across the room, how the girl seemed a bit agitated, more so than what Lottie believed she would over a case of morning sickness. One aspect of Jemma's character that Lottie knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, was that Jemma wasn't one to give in to illness unless she simply had no choice. Even as a child, Lottie could remember how she and Jason had almost had to tie Jemma to her bed when she had managed to get pneumonia after accidentally falling from the pier into the sound. However, she also knew that Aaron would never allow her to risk her health, so whatever it was that seemed to be agitating the girl was something that would need to be worked out by Jemma. Making her way to the kitchen, Lottie made her mind up that, although she looked on Jemma as if she were her daughter, Lottie knew two things for certain; the first was that there was no sense in pressing Jemma, or Aaron for that matter, about what might be the source of the agitation. Until, either, one or the other was ready to discuss the matter there would simply be no getting it out of them. The second was that, no matter what the issue was, if there was a way that Aaron could remove the source of whatever was agitating his wife, it would be as good as gone. Keeping that thought firmly in mind, Lottie began dishing up three bowls of her stew.

Jemma took a sip of her ginger soda pop in the hopes that it would settle her stomach. She had not had a problem beforehand with morning sickness, and whether or not the queasiness that she now felt could be attributed to that or her earlier ordeal with the rattlesnake, she wasn't sure, but she knew that either way, it was a very real problem to contend with at the moment. When Lottie placed the bowl full of stew in front her, Jemma couldn't help but look up with a pleading look in her eyes, something that Lottie recognized and understood the source of as she placed a pack of saltine crackers next to the girl's bowl as she advised;

"Eat some of these, sweetie. Trust me, between the ginger soda and these, you'll feel better in no time."

Although she was somewhat skeptical, she did as Lottie had suggested and soon found herself able to do justice to the bowl of stew, something that found Aaron relieved. Just as they were finishing with their meal, Jason entered the saloon to join them, something that Jemma couldn't help but notice seemed to affect Julie, especially when he stood at the table, silent for a moment before greeting;

"Julie, it's nice to see you again; I understand that congratulations are in order."

Julie had not thought that anyone could affect her in the way that Jason seemed to as he stood in front of her now, but have an effect he did, even if it wasn't intentional on his part, she still felt as if her nerve endings were crackling with electricity. Absently, she couldn't help but wonder if just being near him like this had this effect on her, then what effect would she experience if he were to touch or kiss her. Taking a sip of her drink, she mentally chastised herself, she was engaged to Blake and the last thing that she should be wondering is what another man's touch or kisses would feel like. Clearing her throat, she responded;

"Thank you, Jason, it's nice to see you again as well. And yes, my fiancee and I came to Seattle so that he would have the opportunity to meet Aaron and, as it turned out, my new sister in law. Blake should be back any time now, and I'm sure he'd like to meet you, especially since he's already met, Jeremy and Candy."

Jason was finding his own reserve of control sorely tested at the moment as well. He had thought that he had mentally prepared himself for the possibility of coming face to face with Julie Stempel again, especially given that he knew his sister was planning on having an engagement party for her and her fiancee and that, more than likely, he would be invited. However, what he thought he had prepared himself for and reality were two very different things, as he quickly realized when he set eyes upon her. He remembered her as beautiful, but when he looked at her, TRULY looked at her, he couldn't help but think that his memory had failed him as she seemed even more so than what he had remembered.

Jason found himself shaken from his thoughts as Aaron invited;

"Jason, sit down and join us. I'm sure you'd like some lunch too."

Having sat quietly during the interchange between Julie and her brother, Jemma glanced discreetly between the two and could see that there was more going on between them than just polite conversation. However, she could also see that Julie wasn't very comfortable at the moment nor, for that matter, was Jason. Deciding that, given how she felt at the moment, she would take matters into her own hands to help ease the situation, Jemma placed her hand on Aaron's arm to draw his attention as she ventured;

"Aaron, honey, I don't feel very well, would you mind if I went home and rested for a little while? I'm sure that I'll feel better after I've rested and I can go back up to the mill and..."

Shaking his head, Aaron placed his hand over the one that she had on his arm to issue;

"No, you won't go back up to the mill, at least not today. I think that you, young lady, have had more than enough excitement for today, give me a minute and I'll take you home."

Rising from her chair, Jemma advised;

"You don't have to do that, love."

Turning to her sister in law, Jemma suggested;

"I know that you have more work to do at the mill and you and Jason probably have business to discuss as well. I'm sure that Julie wouldn't mind keeping me company for a little while, at least until Blake returns. Besides, I'm fine, just a little tired."

Aaron's eyes narrowed as he carefully searched her face before softly demanding;

"Are you sure that you're just tired? You're not hurting or anything like that, are you?"

Motioning towards a quiet corner, Jemma turned to Jason and Julie to offer;

"Excuse us for a moment please."

Taking Aaron's hand in hers as he rose from his chair, she led him to the direction of the quiet corner before shaking her head in slight amusement as she remarked;

"I can't help but remember another conversation that we had in this very corner a few months ago."

Despite his concern, Aaron chuckled as he nodded;

"I remember, I also happen to remember it helped to lead us to where we are today."

Her eyes conveying just how serious she was at that moment, Jemma advised her husband;

"Aaron, love, I know that you worry about me and our baby, but I' fine, really."

Placing his hand against her cheek, his face a mask of seriousness, he couldn't help but remark;

"Sweetheart, to be blunt, you've had one hell of a morning. Not to mention the fact that I had to jerk you through that window by your waist, I just want to make sure that both of you are alright."

Offering a sigh of resignation, Jemma suggested a compromise;

"I promise you that I'm not in any pain, I just feel a little queasy, which is perfectly normal at this stage. But, if I promise to go see Allyn before I go home and she verifies that everything is fine with me and the baby, will you stop worrying; at least about this?"  
Taking her hand to lead her to the backroom, once the door was shut, Aaron wrapped his arms around her waist before nodding;

"Fair enough, if she says that you're fine that will put my mind at ease. But as far as not worrying about you or our baby,"

Shaking his head he vowed;

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, that's my job and, as you well know, I take my work VERY seriously."

Tilting her head slightly to look up at him, an amused smile on her face, she quipped;

"I thought that your job was to love me."

Offering a slight laugh, Aaron corrected;

"No, THAT, Jemma love, is my pleasure."

Lowering his head he kissed her deeply before observing;

"Alright, I do need to talk to your brother, so, if Julie wouldn't mind going with you, you go see Dr. Wright and let's make sure that you and,"

Placing his hand over her stomach, he continued;

"Our baby are alright."

Cupping her face in his hands, he added sternly;

"But, if she says that there is anything to be concerned about, no matter how small, I want to know. Do you understand me, Jemma?"

Seeing the look of slight frustration in her eyes, he stated in a no-nonsense tone;

"I mean it, Jemma, promise me. We've always tried to be honest with each other and this is definitely not a time to make exceptions."

Seeing the, all too familiar, look in his dark eyes that she knew from experience meant that he wouldn't brook any argument in his dictate, Jemma capitulated as she nodded solemnly before vowing;

"I promise, Aaron, I won't keep anything from you, especially not about our baby."

She couldn't help but feel a slight pang of guilt at her promise, especially considering what had taken place the night before with Blake Anderson, however, she also knew that, right now, it was not the time or the place to bring up such a subject. Pushing the thought to the back of her mind, she stretched on tiptoe to kiss her husband before placing her hand over his as she admonished lightly;

"Besides, you know that I want to make sure, just like you do, that our baby is fine. I have every intention of giving you a happy and very healthy baby in just a few months."

Turning towards the door, a thought occurred to Jemma as she offered her husband a look of concern before pointing out;

"Honey, you realize that I have to tell Allyn, EVERYTHING, don't you?"

Nodding, Aaron replied;

"Yes, love, I do. I already thought of that, but I also know that she isn't one for gossip or to carry tales and if you ask her, specifically, not to say anything then she'll keep it to herself."

Reaching around her to place his hand on the doorknob, before opening it, Aaron kissed his wife's cheek as he offered;

"I want you to stop worrying about what happened today, Jason and I will take care of it. You just go see the doctor and then go home and rest."

Julie felt infinitely relieved when she noticed her brother and Jemma approaching the table. She had considered trying to make polite conversation but given that she couldn't help but notice how preoccupied Jason had seemed she felt it best to just focus on her meal as she politely offered;

"Please forgive me, Jason, I skipped breakfast and I'm starving. I hope you don't mind."

Finding the need to try and make pleasant conversation for politeness' sake removed from his shoulders, Jason shook his head as he offered;

"No, Julie, please by all means."

Waiting patiently as Lottie brought him his lunch, Jason followed suit as he concentrated on the meal before him. Much like his companion, he felt relieved when he noticed his sister and Aaron's approached as Aaron addressed Julie;

"Julie, would you mind going with Jemma to see Dr. Wright before she goes home?"

Her concern apparent in the look of seriousness that crossed her features Julie demanded;

"Is everything alright? I mean are you feeling unwell, Jemma?"

Shaking his head, Aaron chose to answer for his wife;

"She isn't feeling anything that's out of the ordinary for her condition but she did have a slight fall this morning and I would rather be safe than sorry. It would just put my mind at ease if Dr. Wright were to examine her and make sure that she and the baby are alright."

Jason's head shot up in rapt attention as concern lent volume to his voice as he demanded;

"You're not hurting or anything, are you, Pixie?"

Shaking her head, Jemma sought to put his mind at ease;

"No, Jason, I'm not having any type of pain. Honestly, I'm just a little ill to my stomach and tired, but if it will put Aaron's mind at rest, then I'll gladly go see Allyn so that we can make sure everything is fine after this morning."

Seeing the light of compassion illuminate his sister's eyes, Aaron wasn't surprised in the least when Julie rose from her chair to offer;

"I wouldn't mind going with Jemma in the least, Aaron."

Offering a genuine smile of affection, she ventured;

"Besides, it gives me time to spend with my sister in law, something I happen to enjoy."

Approaching Jemma, Julie offered;

"Come on, let's go see if Dr. Wright can see you right now."

Aaron placed a kiss on his wife's cheek before motioning towards the door as he advised;

"Go on, darlin, and remember, no matter how small, I want to know whatever she says."

Nodding, Jemma followed Julie out the saloon doors as Aaron stood silent, watching his wife and sister leave before Jason broke into his thoughts as he observed;

"Aaron, I've been thinking about something. That thing wasn't in the office when Candy was there earlier, in fact, it didn't show up until after Candy left and Pixie went back into the office; alone."

Even though his mind had been focused more on ensuring that his wife and unborn child were alright, the thoughts in the back of Aaron's mind had been running along the same lines as Jason's. He knew that there were those that might begrudge his business success and even those who might take steps to exact some measure of revenge, however, those types of actions were always limited to business dealings, nothing was carried out on a personal level, especially nothing that could have had such dangerous and devastating results as what could have taken place earlier. While he had not wanted to consider it, Aaron gave voice to the same thoughts that Jason was having;

"I know, Jason. I've been thinking the same thing, my only question is 'why'? I mean someone wanting to take a belt at me because I outmaneuver them in business, that's nothing out of the ordinary, but you know as well as I do, doing something like this, it's not business-related and if it is, I have no idea who it could be. Not to mention, whoever did it, they had to be watching the office, they knew that Jemma was by herself in there so that means it wasn't me they were trying to get. I don't know anyone that would want to see any harm come to Jemma, let alone the possibility of..."

Jason could see that, just even, the thought of something fatal happening to Jemma was a consideration that Aaron wasn't even willing to think about, let alone speak aloud. Normally, Jason would have completed his statement for him, however, the idea of something fatal happening to his sister, wasn't a thought that he wanted to give voice to either; so to that end, he wasn't surprised when Aaron offered;

"Well, we both know how today could have possibly ended for her if we had not happened along when we did. Considering that thing should have been hibernating, not to mention where they are normally found, that means someone disturbed it, something I'm quite sure didn't put it in a good mood."

Leaning back in his chair, Jason stroked his chin as he considered;

"Given how warm some of the days have been lately, finding one awake doesn't exactly shock me. However, I can't help but think that, whoever did this, they have to know something about snakes, at least enough to be able to know how to handle that thing without getting bitten themselves, and especially considering that they would have had some idea where to find that thing around here."

Turning to his brother in law, Jason demanded;

"Aaron, you know that, if this was intentional, which is what the evidence seems to point to, then that could well mean that whoever did this will, more than likely, not stop until we find them or they succeed."

Taking a sip of his beer, Jason wasn't shocked when, in a low and dangerous tone, Aaron vowed;

"Well, that means catching them, because I'll be damned if I'm going to let them succeed."

Nodding, Jason offered;

"I agree, although, we're going to need some help, we need to tell Joshua and Jeremy what's going on. But do you think that we should tell Pixie?"

Weighing the possible outcomes of keeping the information private or of sharing it with Jemma, Aaron shook his head as he theorized;

"Jason, I promised her that I would tell her everything, that I would always be honest with her and never keep anything from her."

Seeing the track that his brother in law's thoughts seemed to want to race, Jason demanded;

"But?"

Meeting Jason's look with one of his own of intense seriousness, Aaron stated;

"But; she's beginning to experience the, not so pleasant, symptoms of her condition. She's been through a lot in the past few months, Jason and I know that she's a lot tougher than what we think, but you and I also know that, with her nature and spirit, the idea that someone would want to, intentionally, cause her harm would hurt her, inside, and I wouldn't want to see that happen."

Nodding his understanding, Jason ventured;

"I understand, Aaron. She's always been so kind-hearted and giving that it might well change something in her personality if she thought someone was specifically targeting her. However, given how intelligent she is, you and I both know that she will have suspicions of her own, not to mention the fact that she needs to be on her guard, so how do you propose we deal with that aspect, dear brother in law?"

Aaron narrowed his eyes as turned towards the window, not really seeing anything as he weighed his options. Finally, he took up his glass of beer to take a sip as Jason demanded;

"You have an answer?"

Setting his glass back on the table, Aaron nodded;

"Yes, I do. I think she already suspects that this was something aimed towards me, especially given how worried she seems about me, so I'm just going to let her continue thinking that's the case; at least, this way, she won't question how protective we are over her, especially after today."

Seeing the merits of Aaron's suggestion, Jason couldn't help but point out;

"Well, that will solve one problem, but the other we need to worry about is how we explain not wanting to leave her alone? You know that the idea of someone with her all of the time is one that she'll balk at, especially if she thinks that it's you in danger and not her."

Chuckling slightly, Aaron braced his arms on the table as he speculated;

"You know something, Jason? I think that, with all of the extra work that needs to be done at the mill, I'm in desperate need of someone who has the sort of experience my wife does to take care of the office."

Tilting his head to the side in question, Jason couldn't help but point out;

"Even after today?"

Nodding, Aaron ventured;

"Given the amount of work that's about to be involved, I think that an assistant with, oh say Candy's quick wit and intelligence, would be in order, don't you?"

Lifting his glass of beer in a toast, Jason ventured;

"Aaron, if we can catch whoever did this, then you will confirm what I've always suspected of you, especially since you married my sister."

Offering his companion a wry look as he took up his own glass, Aaron demanded;

"Oh really, and just what would that be, Jason?"

Bringing the glass to his lips as he prepared to take a sip, Jason quipped;

"That you're much smarter than what I've given you credit for."

Shaking his head before taking a sip of his beer, Aaron offered;

"Thanks, I appreciate your vote of confidence."

Despite the light-hearted turn that the last of their conversation had taken, both men were thinking the same thoughts; who would want to cause Jemma harm and why would they want to? Not to mention, their concern in being able to stop whoever it was before they could try to inflict further harm, because the truth of the matter was that they might not be nearly as lucky if there was another attempt as what they were today. 


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

Dr. Allyn Wright sat in her office, listening as Jemma Bolt Stempel recounted the earlier events of that morning. To say that she was shocked by Jemma's revelations was an understatement, and had it been anyone else, save Lottie Candy or Emily Perkins, she would have chalked the tale up to an overly fertile imagination. However, since her arrival in Seattle more than a year ago, she had come to learn just how reliable information from Jemma truly was, bearing that in mind she offered;

"Jemma, you know, if anyone else were to have told me what you just did, I would think they had been sharing a drink or two with Captain Clancy."

Nodding, Jemma offered;

"I know, Allyn and believe me, I wish that had been the case, but, unfortunately, it's not. Although I know it's not the point, I still can't understand it; I mean, rattlesnakes are, usually, only found near the butte or the rock cliffs, which means, especially considering the sack that we found, someone had to have put that thing in the office."

Crossing her arms over her middle, Allyn pursed her lips in consideration as she ventured;

"Well, grant you they aren't my favorite creatures, but if I remember correctly, I read somewhere once that, especially when the weather is like it's been the past couple of weeks or so, snakes aren't actually hibernating, it's more like they're just resting. However, I would hazard to say that, someone with a knowledge of snakes and a knowledge of how to handle them would be the culprit. I mean, how else, could someone have managed to sack one up to do what was done?"

Sighing worriedly, Jemma agreed;

"I know that, Allyn. Which means someone was intentionally trying to cause harm to Aaron."

Shaking her head, Jemma ventured;

"I guess I just got in the way."

Motioning to the examination table, Allyn ordered;

"Well, I don't think that you suffered anything, at least not from what I can tell just by looking at you, but why don't we just make sure."

Once she had completed her examination Allyn helped Jemma sit up as she offered;

"Jemma you seem just fine, so does the baby."

Placing her hand on her chest in a gesture of relief, Jemma confessed;

"I didn't have any doubts that I was, Allyn, but Aaron was afraid that, when he pulled me through the window, he might have been a little too rough."

Taking a hand towel to dry her hands after she had finished washing them in the basin, Allyn nodded her understanding as she pointed out;

"I can understand his concern, men don't seem to understand that we women and babies are a good deal stronger than what we're given credit for. But I promise this little one seems to be doing just fine so far."

Shaking her head in amusement, she observed;

"Actually, considering that he or she is half Bolt and half Stempel, I'd be willing to bet that this baby already has a strong and determined personality."

Jemma couldn't help but laugh at the physician's observation as she nodded;

"I know, Aaron said the same thing when I told him that he was going to be a father."

The humor in her eyes replaced with seriousness, Jemma demanded;

"But, all jokes aside, you're certain that the baby is fine?"

Placing her hand on Jemma's shoulder, Allyn nodded solemnly as she met the look of seriousness in the young woman's eyes with one of her own as she promised;

"Jemma, I swear to you, I didn't find anything out of the ordinary when I examined you. You and the baby both seem to be doing just fine, but if you have anything that you feel out of the ordinary, then you, either, come see me or you send for me right away, alright?"

Allyn felt heartened as Jemma breathed a sigh of relief before a matching smile lifted the corners of her lips as she expressed her gratitude;

"Thank you, Allyn. You have no idea just how relieved I am that you and Lottie will be here to deliver this baby when the time comes, not to mention, help me as my time gets closer."

Nodding, Allyn offered;

"I know, and I know that you might have a lot of questions between now and then, so don't hesitate to ask me anything you feel you need to. And, by the way, you don't have to worry about me saying anything about what took place this morning, I figure that, if anyone should get nosy as to the reason for your visit, it's not exactly the best-kept secret just how much your husband loves you or just how protective of you he is. That being the case, I don't think that it would be out of the question that he would insist that you have a check-up since you're having morning sickness now."

Reaching out, Jemma hugged, not just her doctor but, her friend as well before offering her gratitude;

"Thank you, Allyn. Now, I think I'm going to take Aaron's advice; I'm going home and have a little rest."

Nodding her approval, Allyn walked her to the doorway of the waiting room, where Julie sat waiting for her sister in law to offer;

"I think that would be a very good idea."

Turning to Julie and seeing the young woman's concern for her sister in law, she sought to put her mind at ease;

"Everything seems just fine, Miss Stempel. Jemma is fine and healthy and your niece or nephew seems to be progressing just fine, I didn't find any problems, although I would like her to get a little more rest than what she seems to be getting at the moment. But, outside of that, both of them are doing quite well."

Linking her arm through Jemma's, Julie couldn't help but smile as she laughed lightly before promising;

"I'll be sure to tell my brother, Dr. Wright. But I have to warn you, Aaron is a worrier and given how seriously he takes his concerns and just how long he waited to marry, not to mention begin his family, I'm afraid that, in this case, your biggest problem won't be your patient, but your patient's husband."

Deciding that she could develop a fondness for Julie Stempel, just as she had for Jemma, Allyn laughed as she walked the two women to the door before venturing;

"Well, considering what I faced as a woman doctor, I'm sure that I can handle anything that Aaron Stempel can throw at me. Now, why don't you take Jemma home and MAKE her rest a little."

Nodding her agreement, Julie promised;

"I will, Dr. Wright, I will."

Watching as the two left her office Allyn couldn't help but consider what Jemma had confided in her about the earlier events of the day, something that found her wondering if the intended victim wasn't her patient as opposed to the patient's husband. Shaking her head, she turned to close her office door as she became determined to be as close at hand, at least until the mystery could be solved, as possible.

Aaron was usually very methodical when it came to the end of the business day, however, today, he was anxious to finish up and be on his way home. Once he and Jason had formulated their plan as to how to ensure Jemma's safety, his brother in law and he had taken the afternoon to take the time to stretch screening wire across the opened windows; effectively preventing any more unwanted visitors such as what they had dealt with that morning. After that, they scoured the office and small room attached that Aaron had used as a bedroom on the occasions when he had worked well into the night, too late to go home, before his marriage, looking for any possible holes or openings that might prove dangerous at a later point. Once they had assured themselves that the office was as secure as possible, including installing new locks on the doors of the office, Jason sent to the logging camp for Josh and Jeremy.

As they waited, Jason couldn't help but notice how deep in thought Aaron seemed to be as he sat at his desk, staring through the window but not seeing what was on the other side of the glass. Curious as to the turn that his brother in law's thoughts was taking, Jason asked;

"What are you thinking, Aaron?"

Crossing his arms across his chest, Aaron turned to face Jason as he confided;

"As much as I detest the thought of it, I'm wondering just what ANYONE has to gain if something were to happen to my wife, Jason."

Jason could only nod his understanding, especially considering that he had been having the same thoughts as well. Offering a deep sigh of resignation, Jason held his hands together, as if in prayer, before venturing;

"Alright, so let's see if we can't, at least, figure out that puzzle. Now, what exactly does Pixie have that anybody else would consider a financial asset?"

Leaning back in his chair as he braced his elbow on the arm before resting his chin in his hand to consider Jason's inquiry, he raised his head as he lifted his hand before pointing out;

"You know as well as I do, Jason. She, outright, owns one-quarter of Bridal Veil Mountain and one-half of the mill, plus the one-quarter partnership in your logging operation. Outside of that, her jewelry and whatever profits in the logging and the mill and of course half of our house, but Jason, none of that would benefit anyone outside of the family. If, God forbid, everything goes to our child with you and me overseeing it, even if it weren't for the baby, you know as well as I do, her share of the mountain and the logging operation would be split between you, Josh and Jeremy and the mill and house goes to me. So we're back to where we started, no one has anything to gain."

Shaking his head as he leaned forward, Jason wondered aloud;

"Even the idea of a jealous female wouldn't explain anything. It's not like there was someone else that was pushed aside so that Jemma could become your wife."

Aaron couldn't help, despite the seriousness of the matter, but offer a slight chuckle as he confirmed;

"No, considering that I held my tongue for almost two years before even telling her that I loved her and another two before asking her to marry me, there isn't some vengeful she-demon waiting

in the wings to step into Jemma's place, not that anyone ever could."

Before they could speculate any further, Josh and Jeremy hurried into the office, out of breath, to demand;

"Alright, Jason, Aaron, we're here, what's so urgent?"

Jason motioned to the empty chairs as Aaron got up to pour the two a cup of coffee as Jason described the earlier events of the day. Neither was surprised when Josh, his eyes wide in shock, demanded;

"Are you two saying that you, seriously, think that someone put that thing in here with the intentions of hurting, or worse, Pixie?"

Nodding, Aaron took a sip of coffee before confirming;

"Yes, Josh, we don't like saying it, but there isn't any other conclusion that we've come to, especially considering that there's no earthly reason why anyone should want to do such a thing, at least not to Jemma. And you two know, as well as Jason and I do, that if someone were out to get me because of some business-related grudge, they wouldn't go after my wife."

Shaking his head in amazement of the situation, Jeremy couldn't help but ask;

"Does Pixie have any idea that she was the target and not you, Aaron?"

Josh and Jeremy did not doubt the answer to that question as, both, Aaron and Jason's eyes widened in concern and shock as both exclaimed simultaneously;

"NO! AND WE DON'T WANT HER TO EITHER!"

Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, Josh demanded;

"Alright, why doesn't she know and why don't you want her to know?"

Turning to each other, Jason nodded as Aaron offered their explanation;

"Because, Josh; first of all, she's beginning to suffer from the, not so pleasant, symptoms of her condition, I don't want to cause any more worry on her than what is absolutely necessary. Before you ask; she thinks that I'm the target and, given what happened this morning, she's on her guard, but more for my sake than for her own. Aside from that aspect of it."

Placing his hands on his hips, he turned from Josh to Jeremy to demand;

"Knowing your sister's personality, just what do you think it would do to her if she thought that someone wanted to intentionally cause her harm, or worse?"

Shaking his head, Aaron theorized;

"You know as well as Jason and I do that it would change something in Jemma and, if we can prevent that, I don't want to see that happen."

Pinning the two with his eyes, he demanded;

"Do the two of you?"

Turning to ask each other the same silent question, both Joshua and Jeremy shook their heads in denial as Josh promised;

"No, we don't. Alright, what do we do to make sure that whoever is doing this isn't going to be successful."

Motioning towards their brother in law, Jason explained;

"Aaron has a plan for that, and Pixie will be none the wiser. As it turns out, Aaron needs some help here in the office and, since he was the one who taught her bookkeeping, can you think of a better candidate then Jemma?"

Although he could see the merits of the plan, Jeremy pointed out;

"Alright, that keeps her from being alone at home, but, Jason, she was here and look what happened."

Nodding, Aaron pointed out;

"We thought of that, Jeremy, that's why the screen wire and we made sure that there aren't any holes or any other places for that possibility again. We also added locks to the doors, but the most important part is where you come in."

Turning to Jason, the confusion evident on his face, Jeremy demanded;

"How?"

Rising from his chair, Jason placed his arm around his youngest brother's shoulder as he advised;

"By encouraging Candy to accept the offer of employment that she is about to receive from her future brother in law to help make certain that our expectant sister isn't overwhelmed by the amount of work that she is about to find herself immersed in."

Placing his other arm around Joshua's shoulders, he ventured;

"Especially since you, Joshua, are going to be in desperate need of Pixie's help with the books since you are going to be needed to help supervise the cutting on the eastern ridge. Combine that with the fact that the sawmill is so swamped that Aaron is needed in the mill with the men, leaving the office unattended, and I'm sure convincing her just how vital her presence is, either here with Aaron to keep an eye on her, or at the camp with us to keep an eye on her, won't be difficult."

Shaking his head, Jeremy turned to Aaron to speculate;

"Aaron, you know that she's not just going to suddenly believe that you want her working here in the office, especially not in her condition."

Nodding his agreement, Aaron offered;

"I've already thought about that, Jeremy and that's where Candy comes in. I'm going to 'just happen to' mention how swamped we're becoming and Joshua's going to 'just happen to' beg Jemma for her help with the books. You know your sister, she'll be more than willing and eager to offer her help, but, I'm not going to agree unless she agrees to ask Candy for her help. This way, there's someone with her at all times that we know can be trusted. We don't want anyone else to know about the snake though, that way, we have a better chance of catching whoever did it."

Seeing the merits of their plan, Jeremy and Joshua agreed;

"Alright, Jason, Aaron, if you two think this will work, then we'll give it a try."

Aaron found his thoughts brought back to the present as Harve poked his head in the door to inquire;

"Mr. Stempel, if it's alright with you, I'm going to be heading home now."

Nodding, Aaron motioned for the man to come inside as he ordered;

"Just a minute, Harve."

Once he had entered the office and made himself comfortable in the chair in front of his bosses desk, Harve couldn't help but ask;  
"What can I do for you, Mr. Stempel?"

Even though he had worked for Aaron Stempel for several years, Harve still observed a certain amount of formality when it came to addressing his employer, no matter how many times Aaron advised him to use his given name. However, despite that bit of formality, Aaron considered Harve a friend as much as an employee, it was on that basis that he advised the man, something he would not have bothered to do with any other employee at the mill, of his intentions;

"Harve, we're going to have a lot of lumber coming in for a contract that we have coming up, so I'm going to be spending a lot of time in the mill with you and the men. But, I don't want anything to get behind here in the office so my wife will probably be coming in to help out in the crunch."

Turning adamantly serious, Aaron advised;

"There's something that I want to make perfectly clear and I want you to make sure that the men understand that this comes from me; she is to be given the same consideration and respect that I am. She is a very smart woman and, as you know, she knows what she's doing when it comes to the lumber business, so I want it understood that, if anyone gives her any problems, especially considering her condition, then I'LL be the one that they'll answer to. Is that understood?"

Nodding, Harve offered;

"I don't think that they'll be any problems, Mr. Stempel. I mean, most of us have known Miss Jemm... I mean, Mrs. Stempel for quite some time and everyone likes her well enough. Besides, everyone knows that she works in the office sometimes so I don't think that they'll give her any issues."

Rising from his chair before motioning towards the door as he followed Harve out before securing the door from the outside to advise;

"I just want to be sure that they don't, Harve." 

Julie finished placing the food on the table for supper when she heard the front door open and close. Glancing up she offered a welcoming smile as she greeted her brother;

"Hello, Aaron, how was your day?"

Handing his coat on the coat tree by the door, he offered;

"Busy."

Furrowing his brow in question, he demanded;

"Do you mean to tell me that Jemma let you in her kitchen?"

Offering a slight laugh, Julie explained;

"Well, to be honest, after we left the doctor's office this afternoon, she decided to lay down and the last time that I checked on her she was sound asleep, so I decided to cook supper and just let her rest. Since Blake came by to let me know that he was leaving for Tacoma tonight to take care of some business, I thought that I would just make myself useful."

Julie couldn't help but note the look of concern that her brother wore as he asked, his concern lending volume to his voice;

"Did everything go alright at the doctor's office?"

Placing her hand on her brother's arm in an attempt to calm the rising concern that she saw in his face, Julie relayed her conversation with Dr. Wright;

"Calm down, Aaron. I spoke to Dr. Wright and she said that Jemma AND the baby are both fine. She examined Jemma and she said that everything is fine and progressing normally with the baby and that, other than wishing Jemma would get a little more rest, she has no complaints at this point. In short; both mother and child are doing well; the father on the other hand..."

Offering her brother a look of wry amusement, she wasn't surprised when he shook his head before turning in the direction of the stairs before grumbling;

"Very funny, little sister."

Julie couldn't help but giggle at her brother's reaction as she finished setting the table, even though she couldn't help but feel a sense of remorse at the realization that her own life lacked what her brother and sister in law seemed to have in theirs'. Pushing the thought aside, she prepared to leave for the dormitory so that Aaron and Jemma could have some privacy. Catching her brother before he made it completely to the top of the staircase, she advised;

"Aaron, I'm going to leave for the dormitory now so that you and Jemma can have some privacy, I'll see you tomorrow."

Before he could say anything to stop her, Aaron heard the front

door open and close, effectively cutting off any opportunity that he might have been about to make to open the door for a discussion regarding his sister's engagement. Deciding that, perhaps given the earlier events of the day, putting off such a discussion so that he could focus on his wife wasn't a bad idea, at least for tonight, Aaron simply continued on his path to the bedroom. Quietly he opened the bedroom door and couldn't help but stop and cross his arms over his chest as he leaned against the door frame as he studied his sleeping wife.

Aaron couldn't help but shake his head in amazement at the picture she made; she was asleep on her side with her hand lying next to her on the pillow and her arm crossed protectively over her stomach. Approaching the bed, he crouched down as he gently pushed her hair over her shoulder before as he took the hand lying across her stomach in his and, absently, found himself comparing her small hand to his much larger one before leaning closer to place a gentle kiss on her lips. He felt her mouth turn up in a smile as her eyes opened before she sleepily advised;

"Careful, darling, you realize that this is what led to my condition, don't you?"

Chuckling as he stood before sitting next to her on the bed, he ventured;

"Do you mind?"

Sitting up, Jemma gave a slight shake of her head as she replied;

"Not in the least, although you might well mind when I begin showing."

Wrapping his arms around her, Aaron pulled her across his lap as he stated emphatically;  
"Jemma love, you don't give me or yourself nearly enough credit. The only thing I see happening when you begin showing is that I'll find you even more desirable and alluring, especially knowing that our child is growing inside of you. And before you begin worrying yourself about it, darlin, even when you're ready to give birth, you'll still be the most beautiful and desirable woman in the world to me."

Laying her head against his shoulder, Jemma allowed herself to enjoy the contentment that she felt at being held in her husband's arms before she realized aloud;

"I didn't realize how late it was, I need to fix you something for supper."

Holding her as she tried to get up, he shook his head as he explained;

"No, you don't, love. Julie took care of that for us, she had supper on the table as I walked in."

Seeing the shocked look on her face, he continued;

"She said that you were sleeping so well that she didn't want to disturb you so she fixed supper for us."

Searching his face, she stated knowingly;

"You didn't talk to her, did you?"

Shaking his head, Aaron pleaded his case;

"Sweetheart, I didn't know what to say. I know I have to talk to her but before I could stop her she left, she said something about Anderson going to Tacoma on business so I'm going to try and do it before he gets back."

Noticing the clock on the fireplace mantle, Aaron turned his thoughts to more practical matters as he helped Jemma up from his lap before suggesting;

"I don't know about you, love, but I'm starving, let's go enjoy Julie's cooking, she's almost as good as you."

Jemma couldn't deny that Julie's cooking was wonderful, the stew that she had made was something that seemed to satisfy her appetite, so much so that she ate two bowls, something that seemed to please her husband immensely. Glad to see her in such a good mood after the events of the day, Aaron decided to broach the subject that would help push his and Jason's plan along, he just hoped that they had been right in their assumption as to how she would react. Clearing his throat slightly to gain her attention he offered;

"By the way, sweetheart, despite what happened today, thank you for your help in the office. With all the work we've got facing us with the orders coming in, I can't seem to help but to put the office work on the back burner here lately."

He lifted his eyes from his own bowl of stew to glance casually across the table and could see the reaction that he was hoping for as he noted how she seemed to be in deep thought before asking;

"Is it really about to become THAT busy, honey?"

Nodding as he reached for another biscuit, Aaron explained;

"Yes, love, it is, and not just for the mill but for your brothers as well. I overheard Josh tell Jason that the logging operation's books were probably going to fall behind because they are all needed on different sections of the mountain to supervise the cutting to make sure we get all of these orders filled, especially with the contracts we have coming up."

Noticing how she tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth, a habit that she had when she was giving serious consideration to something, he wasn't surprised when she ventured quietly;

"Aaron, would you think it silly to put screen wire across the windows? I mean especially after today?"

Shaking his head, he advised;

"Actually, as a matter of fact, Jason helped me do that very thing today. I had already bought some with that intention but just hadn't gotten around to it. After today we decided to make sure it was done, we also made sure to check the office over to make sure that there weren't any places to allow for anything to squeeze through, plus we put better locks on the doors."

Meeting her eyes, he demanded;

"Why do you ask, sweetheart?"

Noting the intense look in her eyes, exactly what he was hoping for, Aaron couldn't help but let out a carefully measured sigh of relief as she ventured;

"Well, it only makes sense for me to help out in the office with all the paperwork if you are all so busy. You know how easily the paperwork can back up if it's not kept up with, and it really wouldn't be that much extra work for me to help keep up with the logging camp's books, I mean it's not like I didn't have to do that when Jason, Josh, and Jeremy went to New Bedford and Josh has had me help him with them, just like you have at the mill."

Looking at her with, what he hoped was, a look of skepticism, Aaron demanded;

"Jemma, you realize there isn't any way of knowing just how long this could go one, don't you? I mean, well what about your condition? Didn't Dr. Wright say that she wanted you getting more rest? Not to mention the extra work, won't that be too much work on you?"

Casting her eyes down for a moment as she considered his inquiry, Aaron waited with bated breath, hoping that he was offering her just enough of an argument to be convincing, but not so much so that she would consider backing down from, what she thought was, her idea. Finally, he found his efforts rewarded as she lifted her head and he could see the light in her eyes as she suggested excitedly;

"I think I have a solution; there's still that room in the office that you used to use when you worked so late and the bed is still in it, isn't it?"

At his silent nod, she offered him a broad smile as she clapped her hands together excitedly;

"Well, then there's our answer! If I get tired I can always rest there and as far as the workload goes, Candy used to help her grandfather sometimes with his books so she has some experience, if nothing else she can help me keep the paperwork straight and filed. And, given the extra work that we have, surely we can afford to hire her to help me, can't we?"

Stopping for a moment, as if contemplating her suggestion, Aaron silently thanked Providence that his and Jason's plan seemed to be working so far. Taking a sip of his coffee before lifting his eyes to meet hers, he paused before offering a slight nod as he stated in slight hesitation;

"I suppose, like you said, given the extra work, we could certainly afford to offer Candy a job, at least temporarily, helping you out in the office. That would help make sure that the paperwork and book work for the mill and logging camp doesn't fall too far behind, and with Candy helping, if you need to rest you'd be able to."

Sitting back in his chair as he took another sip of coffee, he nodded;

"I can't say that I particularly like the idea of my expectant wife working, but it would solve a lot of potential problems."

Pinning her with his eyes, he became utterly serious as he issued;

"But you have got to promise that you won't push yourself and that you will rest."

Aaron couldn't help but smile as she made the sign of a cross over her heart before holding her hand up as she vowed;

"I promise, I won't overdo things and I'll rest, at least once a day. Fair enough?"

Nodding, he couldn't help but chuckle as he agreed;

"Fair enough."

Watching as she rose from her chair, her good mood obvious as she eagerly cleared the table and washed the dishes, Aaron couldn't help but find himself reminded of just, some of, what it was that made his wife so special. Despite what had taken place that day it didn't dim the happiness that she was feeling at the prospect of being able to help her husband and brothers, something that reinforced just how truly special and unselfish Jemma's personality truly was. Despite the pangs of guilt that he felt at the idea of manipulating her, even though it was for her protection, Aaron couldn't deny that he felt justified in the actions that he and Jason were taking, especially given that it was for Jemma's protection and peace of mind.

Once she had restored her kitchen to order and had made herself more comfortable by putting on her nightclothes, Aaron and Jemma reverted to, what had become, their nightly ritual as Aaron enjoyed a glass of brandy while reading his paper while Jemma enjoyed whatever book she might be interested in at the time. Knowing that she had developed a fondness for reading as a young girl, thanks to Jason's influence, Aaron, with Clancy's help, made certain that she had plenty of books on hand to keep her supplied in reading material. Although she was enjoying reading _Jane Eyre_, a gift

from her husband and despite the sleep that she had gotten earlier that afternoon, Jemma soon found herself fighting to keep her eyes open. Aaron had been so engrossed in his paper that he was slightly shocked when he heard a slight 'thud', turning to his wife he couldn't help but study her, a loving smile on his face as he realized that the book had dropped from her hand when she had fallen asleep. Glancing at the mantle clock and seeing that the hour was growing late, Aaron rose from his chair and made a check of all the windows and doors, something that he had never felt the need to do before. But, until he was certain that the threat to Jemma was no longer an issue, he was determined to make certain that she was as protected as possible.

Returning to the living room, Aaron found himself standing in front of her chair, fascinated by the contrasting picture that she presented as she slept. With her eyes closed and her face relaxed in sleep, she presented the picture of innocence, something that struck a slight note of guilt in him as he wondered if, just maybe, he had been selfish in having fallen in love with and marrying her. However, his guilt soon turned to a different path as he found his hand reaching out on its own accord to lightly tease the loose curls of her unbound hair that fell across her shoulders, which reminded him of just how beguiling and alluring she could be, something that amazed him even more considering the fact that she never attempted to be anything except natural and loving; in short, herself.

Giving in to temptation, Aaron lowered his head to place his lips against hers as he slid one arm behind her shoulders and the other under legs to lift her into his arms as she returned the kiss before opening her eyes to gaze into his before wrapping her arms about his neck and laying her head against his shoulder as she offered in a sleepy voice;

"I guess that I must have fallen asleep, I'm sorry."

He couldn't help but chuckle slightly as she offered;

"Honey, you don't have to carry me, I can walk."

Holding her closer as he placed a kiss on her forehead he asked softly;

"Do you WANT me to put you down?"

Hearing her sigh of contentment as she held onto him tighter, he knew her answer before she even admitted;

"No, not really."

Shaking his head in amusement, Aaron made his way to their bedroom. Once they were settled for the night, he wasn't surprised that Jemma had drifted back into slumber as quickly as she did, especially once she had curled herself against his side. Holding her close, Aaron couldn't help but lay awake for a while longer as he found his mind racing with possibilities, no matter how absurd or wild they might have seemed, for any reason that someone might want to see harm come to Jemma. The bottom line was that no matter how many theories or how wild the ideas that came to mind were, he still couldn't fathom any reason for anyone to make the attempt on Jemma's life that had been made that day. Realizing that no answer was going to come that night and that, if he was going to be able to stay on the alert, he needed his rest as well, Aaron held her a little tighter as she shifted slightly in her sleep to lay her head on his chest. Leaning over slightly he placed a kiss on the top of her head as he softly spoke his thoughts aloud;

"I don't care who it is or what their reason, I waited too long to be able to share my life with you and I'm not about to give anyone the chance to hurt you or our baby."

Feeling firm in his resolve as well as confident in the fact that, between him and her brothers, his wife would be protected, Aaron closed his eyes and soon found his rest as well. 


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

Candy sat staring at Aaron in disbelief before turning to Jeremy to demand;

"Did I hear him correctly?"

Nodding, Jeremy reassured her;

"Yes, Candy you did."

Casting a doubtful glance at Aaron, she summarized;

"So let me see if I understand this; even though the ONLY female that you trust near your books and office is Jemma, you WANT me to work with her IN the office?"

At his nod of agreement, Candy leaned back in her chair to cross her arms as she demanded skeptically;

"Alright, Aaron, what's the catch?"

Trying to ease the situation, Jeremy offered;

"Candy, there's no catch."

Seeing that Candy's natural tendency towards being inquisitive was kicking in at the moment, Aaron decided to level with her, at least enough so that she would agree with his proposal;

"Look, Candy, there isn't a catch. I am offering you a job working with Jemma to help make sure that she doesn't get too overloaded and, admittedly, to keep an eye on her and make sure that she doesn't overwork herself. Dr. Wright wants her to rest more and if you're working with her and helping her then she'll be able to do just that."

Candy sat back for a moment to contemplate Aaron's explanation; she knew from Julie that the doctor had stated that she wanted Jemma resting more than what she was at the moment. She also knew, from her conversations with Jeremy, that the logging camp and the mill were about to be swamped with work and, that being the case, Jemma would do everything that she possibly could to help make certain that as much of the workload as she could handle was lifted from her husband's and brothers' shoulders. Although she didn't mind in the least the idea of spending her days with Jemma until the crunch was over with and the extra money would certainly come in handy, especially considering the books that she wanted to order for Molly and Christopher, but she couldn't quite shake the feeling that there was more to the offer than just having some extra help. She did not doubt that Aaron's main concern was making certain that Jemma wasn't overworked, she couldn't seem to quiet that slight nagging voice that kept insisting that there was more to the situation then what Aaron, Jason, Josh, and even Jeremy was admitting to. Taking everything that she knew so far into consideration, Candy made her decision as she nodded before agreeing;

"Alright, Aaron, if you're sure then I'll gladly accept your offer, besides, I like the idea of getting to spend more time with Jemma. Although, are you certain that Julie might not get a little upset at the idea of my helping out at the mill instead of her?"

Shaking his head as he took a sip of the beer that Lottie had just sat in front of him, Aaron explained;

"No, Julie has never cared for dealing with bookkeeping or the day to day running. She doesn't have any interest in the technical, or as she puts it, the 'boring' aspect of the business, so the idea of helping Jemma out in the office wouldn't appeal to her. But you've got experience, thanks to your grandfather, with keeping books and dealing with invoices and paperwork, something that will be a big help."

Placing her hands flat on the tabletop, Candy demanded;

"When do you want me to start?"

Once all the details had been worked out and Aaron had left, explaining that he had left Jemma at Ben Perkins' store to shop while he and Jeremy talked to Candy, Jeremy leaned over to kiss his fiancee as he offered;

"Thank you, Candy, I don't think that you know just how grateful we are to you for helping Pixie and the rest of us out."

Placing her hand over Jeremy's, Candy offered him a loving smile as she pointed out;

"Well, Jeremy, unless you've changed your mind, I'm going to be part of this family and that means helping out when it's needed."

Leaning closer towards him, she confided;

"To be honest, I would have done it for nothing, but there are some books that I want to get for Molly and Christopher so the extra money will come in handy. Besides, I get the feeling that Aaron wouldn't have let me help if I didn't agree to be paid for it, and I know that Jemma wouldn't have allowed it."

Nodding as he lifted his beer mug to his lips, Jeremy confirmed;

"No, he wouldn't have wanted you to work if he wasn't paying you."

Finishing his beer, Jeremy placed a kiss on Candy's cheek before explaining;

"I'll see you this evening, I've got to get back up to the camp."

Nodding, she reminded him;

"Seven o'clock."

Gathering the beer mugs and her glass and soda pop bottle, Candy approached the bar as Lottie motioned towards the doorway to satisfy her curiosity;

"Candy, what was that all about?"

Placing the glassware in its appropriate washtub, Candy explained;

"Oh, it's nothing, Lottie. It's just that the logging operation and the mill are about to be very busy which means that Aaron and Josh will be too busy to deal with the books and day to day paperwork for the mill and the logging camp. That being the case, Jemma is going to be working in the mill office and helping Josh out with the books for the logging camp, but Aaron's worried that she might get overworked so they asked if I would be willing to work at the mill office temporarily to help make sure that she doesn't."

Noticing the look of suspicion that lit Lottie's face, Candy couldn't help but ask, the concern obvious in her face;

"Lottie, is something wrong?"

Lottie remained quiet for a moment as she searched her memory in an attempt to understand why the Bolts and Aaron were suddenly finding themselves so overwhelmed with work that it would require, both, Jemma and Candy's assistance to keep the two businesses running smoothly. Deciding to forestall it, for the time being, Lottie placed a convincing smile on her face as she shook her head;

"No, Candy, nothing. I'm just glad that Jemma has such a thoughtful husband and such a good friend to make sure that she doesn't push herself too hard, especially now."

Gliding past the younger woman, Lottie made her way to her office, determined to have a conversation with Jason and Aaron as soon as possible. She wasn't sure what, but she knew that something was going on and she suspected that it involved Jemma, which meant, no matter who did or didn't like the fact, that made it Lottie's business as well.

Jason stood, leaning against the window sill in Lottie's office as Aaron shook his head before demanding;

"Are you sure that you have no idea Lottie wants to talk to us, Jason?"

Turning to face his brother in law, Jason offered;

"I told you, Aaron, all I know is that she told me before church that she wanted to see you and me after church. Maybe she needs our advice about a business matter, with Lottie who knows."

Glancing at his watch, Aaron grumbled;

"Well, I hope that she hurries up."

Seeing the look of slight irritation on Jason's face, the look on Aaron's face changed as he explained;

"I don't mean to sound harsh, Jason, it's just that Jemma has been saying something about going riding and I was going to surprise her since the weather is so nice today."

Nodding his understanding, Jason couldn't help but chuckle;

"I understand, Aaron. Although I think that you're going to find yourself in for a challenge when you try to keep her off that horse of hers the farther along she gets."

Shaking his head, Aaron contradicted;

"Actually no I won't, she promised that, once she starts showing, she won't even ask. Although, she did say that she worries about the 'poor' thing getting enough exercise when she's unable to see to it herself."

Before either could continue, the office door opened as Lottie breezed in to settle herself behind her desk, wearing her usual calm smile as she placed her hands flat on the desktop to glance from Jason to Aaron before demanding in a deceptively happy tone of voice;

"Now, gentlemen, before the three of us leave this room, you are going to explain to me just EXACTLY what is going on with Jemma."

Seeing the shocked look on both men's faces as well as noticing how both were about to say something, she held up her hands to stall them as she ordered;

"And please, I would appreciate it if you two didn't try to waste your time in trying to convince me that there isn't something going on."

Turning to Jason, she ventured;

"I hear the talk of the other loggers, Jason and you're 'creating' extra work."

Facing Aaron, she pinned him with her eyes as she pointed out;

"And you, Aaron, the only woman that you trust with your books and to run the office at the mill is Jemma, so the fact that you're willingly asking Candy to help out until this 'crunch', as I've heard it described, is over with, tells me that there is something going on. Now, I want to know what it is."

Seeing the reluctance on the part of both men to disclose anything, Lottie pointed to the chairs in front of her desk to order sternly;

"Jason, Aaron, sit!"

Once both had complied, she rose from her desk chair to face both men as she offered in a pleading voice;

"Jason, Aaron. I know that she is your sister and your wife, but please understand something."

Coming around her desk, she pulled up a chair to face them as she reminded both;

"Jason, I know that you have spent her life protecting her, but I was the one who helped your mother bring her into this world, remember?"

Turning to Aaron, she confided;

"Aaron, I know that she's become your life, but please understand something; ever since Julietta died, I've been the only mother that girl has ever known and you both know that I've always considered Jemma to be my daughter. I helped bring her into this world and, more than likely, I'll be helping her bring her own baby into this world in just a few months. So, I'm asking you two now, to tell me what is going on that has you two, not to mention Joshua and Jeremy so on edge where Jemma is concerned."

Both men turned to face each other as Jason pointed out;

"She has a point and she has a right to know. Not to mention; given just how long she knew about you and Jemma, we know that she can keep a secret."

Shrugging, Aaron ventured;

"Alright, go ahead. Besides, Lottie might be able to find out information that we can't and help us find out whose behind this."

Seeing the sense of his brother in law's logic, Jason explained what had taken place and the conclusions that they had arrived at to Lottie. Under any other circumstances the look of astonishment that Lottie wore might well have been considered amusing, however, given the serious repercussions that whoever was behind such heinous plans could reap, there was no humor to be found between the three people in such serious discussion. Once Jason had finished outlining what was taking place, Lottie rose from her chair to go stand in front of the window, although both men knew that she had no focus on what could be found on the other side of the glass panes. Glancing over her shoulder she demanded;

"And Jemma has no idea what's taking place? I mean she just thinks that, whoever did this, they are out to get you, Aaron?"

Nodding, Aaron expanded the explanation;

"No, Lottie, she doesn't know that she was the actual target and I would rather her not know any different either. She may worry about the idea of someone being intent on causing me harm, but she also knows that I can take care of myself and she'll just chalk it up to some business acquaintance having a grudge. But, you know just like we do that if she thinks someone would want to intentionally cause her harm, or worse, it would break her heart. Not to mention I don't want her worrying about anything more than absolutely necessary in her condition."

Shaking his head, Aaron became adamant;

"Jason and I both agree that letting her think that I'm the target of whoever did this is for the best. Besides, she'll be so determined to be close by to keep an eye on me that she won't realize all of us are making sure that she's safe. And, Lottie, we don't want Candy to know about this, alright?"

Neither man realized that they had been holding their breath until a sigh of relief escaped each as Lottie finally nodded before issuing an ultimatum;

"Alright, Aaron, Jason, but under one condition."

Turning to each other for a brief moment with the unspoken question between them as they wondered what promise Lottie could want from them, both nodded as Aaron agreed;

"Alright, Lottie, what do you want us to promise?"

They knew that the look on her face was one that meant she would brook no argument of her dictate as she declared;

"I want you two to promise me that she will not be left alone until we catch whoever is behind this. And that means at home as well, Aaron, I don't care what excuse you have to find to justify it but I don't want that girl left alone for one minute until this is over with."

Both men turned to each other in astonishment as Aaron asked in disbelief;

"Lottie, don't you think that we know that? We have no intention of leaving her alone, that's why we've set everything up as we have, to justify why she won't be."

Crossing the space to stand behind the two men, Lottie placed a hand on each of their shoulders as her tone softened before confessing, to each in turn;

"Jason, I know that you've spent her entire life worrying, caring and protecting her. And, Aaron, I know that you would never let anything happen to her and that you'd die yourself to keep her safe, but please understand something, the idea that there is someone out there, and we have no idea who, that wants to see her come to harm, that scares me to death. So if I get a little 'bossy' please forgive me."

Jason shook his head as he acknowledged;

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Lottie. She's, basically, your daughter and you love her as we do, we understand."

Patting the hand she had placed on his shoulder, Aaron agreed;

"We just didn't want to worry you, that and we thought that the fewer people who know the better our chances to catch whoever is behind this."

Nodding her understanding, Lottie wiped away a tear as she cleared her throat and became all business as she pointed out;

"Alright, so, since you two are in charge of keeping our little mother safe and sound, I'm going to be keeping my ear to the ground for any information that might help us find our snake wrangler. Now, Aaron, I overheard you say something about taking a certain lady riding, you make sure that she's careful and keeps that horse of hers at a trot and not letting that animal have his way and go flying over the countryside, at least not with her on its back."

Taking that as his cue, Aaron offered a short laugh as he rose from his chair to leave, embracing Lottie briefly as he promised;

"I'll do my best. And, Lottie, thank you."

Gliding away from him she flippantly lifted her hand before dismissing;

"No need to thank me, Aaron, just make certain that you take very good care of your wife or I'll have to take care of you; understand?"

Shaking his head in amusement, he agreed;

"I understand, Lottie and you know that you have no worries on that account."

Lottie and Jason watched as Aaron pulled the door closed behind him before Lottie turned to Jason to ask;

"Jason, do you two have any idea why anyone would want to do anything like this?"

Leaning back in his chair as he crossed his arms over his chest, Jason confessed;

"No, Lottie. Aaron and I have wracked our brains trying to come up with any possible reason, but there's nothing that either one of us can think of. I mean, God forbid, if something were to happen to her, no one but Joshua, Jeremy, me and Aaron would benefit, at least until the baby is born, then everything would go to her and Aaron's child."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Lottie huffed;

"Well, that gets us nowhere. All of you would die before letting anything happen to her so we're right back where we started."

Shaking his head, Jason offered;

"Not quite, Lottie, at least we KNOW that someone is trying to cause her harm and we've taken steps to prevent that. Now, we just need to catch whoever it is intent on harming Pixie."

Jemma sat waiting patiently for her husband as she listened to Julie discussing her ideas for the engagement party as well as for her upcoming wedding. Although she was trying to be as supportive of her sister in law as possible, Jemma just couldn't seem to act excited for Julie's circumstance, especially given that she felt the result was going to disastrous in the end. Despite how she felt for the man personally, especially after the confrontation that had taken place between them, Jemma couldn't help but feel relief as Blake Anderson entered the saloon and joined them at the table. Placing his arm around Julie's shoulders he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek as he greeted;

"Hello, my dear. I hope that you haven't been too bored without me here to keep you company."

Once he had settled himself in a chair next to Julie, Blake turned to offer Jemma a curt nod as he greeted;

"Miss Jemma, I hope that you're feeling well."

Jemma hoped that her response would sound cordial and civil enough as she replied;

"Yes, I've been just fine, thank you."

It wasn't difficult to see that Julie was trying to gain attention from her fiancee as she ventured;

"She must be feeling a good deal better than fine, especially considering that she managed to talk Aaron into letting her go riding this afternoon."

Jemma couldn't help but notice the shocked expression that lit the man's face as he demanded;

"Riding? Do you mean to tell me that your husband is willing to give you his permission to mount a horse and in your condition?"

Trying her best to bite her tongue for fear of doing injury to Julie's feelings, Jemma found herself shocked as she heard her husband addressing the issue in a tone that left no room for argument or retort;

"Actually, given the fact my wife is a grown woman, she doesn't need my 'permission' for anything. As far as mounting a horse, Jemma has been able to sit a horse and ride since she was a little girl, she enjoys riding and probably does so better than most men. The doctor doesn't see any problem with it as long as she's careful and considering that I'll be with her, I don't see her being reckless; do you, Anderson?."

Even though the look on his face was one of calm deliberateness, Jemma could see by the glint in Aaron's dark eyes that he was less than thrilled with Blake's comment or his opinion. However, she also knew that he, no more than she, wanted to hurt Julie's feelings, so that being the case he had refrained from saying what he had more harshly. She couldn't help but notice the look on Blake's face as he bowed his head in a slight nod of apology before offering;

"I apologize if I overstepped, Aaron. I'm afraid that the idea of an expectant mother riding is unheard of in San Francisco. I'm also afraid that I keep forgetting just how 'unique' your wife is in the fact that she is as capable as most men in a variety of skills. Of course, it would only be natural that riding would come as second nature to her."

Deciding to turn the subject of conversation in a more pleasant direction, Julie questioned;

"Jemma, Candy happened to mention something about your horse, she said that you've had him since you were a girl?"

It wasn't hard to miss the look of affection that she had for the animal as she smiled warmly before nodding;

"Yes, I found Windy when I was a little girl and he was just a colt."

The shock evident on his face, Blake demanded;

"Found, you mean you found him at some type of auction and your brothers bought him for you; don't you?"

Accepting a mug of beer, Aaron shook his head as he clarified;

"No, Anderson, she means exactly what she said; she found him."

Fascinated, Julie folded her arms on the tabletop as she pressed;

"Jemma I have to know how you found him, please tell us."

Aaron couldn't help but notice the slight smile that graced her mouth as she shared her recollections;

"Well, it was during a really heavy rainstorm, the river had risen and was beginning to overflow its banks. Jason, Joshua, Jeremy and almost everybody else were trying to keep the mill from flooding out as much as possible so I was with Lottie. We were working on sandbags here when we ran out of bags so Lottie sent me over to Ben's store to see about getting more bags. When I was walking over there, despite the noise from the rain and the thunder, I kept hearing the sound of a horse that sounded like it was in trouble; I followed the sound and it was this little colt who was tangled in some ropes that had managed to float into the river."

Shaking her head as she recalled how frightened she had been for the colt, she defended;  
"I couldn't just leave him there to drown, so I waded in to see about bringing him out, at least getting him untangled and up to the higher ground, although there was one thing that I didn't quite think about in my concern."

Spellbound by the story, Julie prompted;

"Go on, what happened?"

Slightly embarrassed, a fact evident in the light pink hue that lit her cheeks, Jemma confessed;

"As it turned out, Windy was as big as I was. Needless to say, that made it a little difficult to carry him from the water and with his legs still tangled at that moment, I had no idea as to how I was going to get him or me to safety."

Despite the cynic nature that he normally displayed, Blake seemed as engrossed in the tale as Julie was as he demanded;

"How on earth did you manage to get him, and you, for that matter, out of the water."

Casting a sideways glance at Aaron, she continued her story;

"As it so happens, some of the men were coming to Lottie's to take a break since they were getting ahead of the storm and the flooding. Apparently, Windy and I were making more noise than the storm, the next thing I knew there was someone there, helping me get Windy, and myself, out of the water."

Caught up in the excitement of the story, Julie's face lit with anticipation as she asked excitedly;

"It was Jason or one of your brothers that helped you, wasn't it?"

Having remained silent, Aaron shook his head as he stated simply;

"No, Julie, it wasn't Jason, Joshua or Jeremy that came to the rescue that night."

He wasn't surprised by the confusion that clouded his sister's eyes just before they cleared as the light of realization illuminated them as she exclaimed in amazement;

"YOU, AARON! You were Jemma's knight in shining armor that night?"

Leaning back in his chair, Aaron couldn't help but recall the night in question. He could still remember how frustrated he had felt that night as he had made his way to Lottie's to take a brief break from the fight that he and the other men of Seattle, including the Bolts had found themselves engaged in as they labored to fight the rising floodwaters that were threatening the mill. Although he was exhausted he had argued with Jason at the idea of leaving until he was sure that things were well under control. However, he couldn't argue that a slight break, especially given the progress that they had made, wouldn't be welcomed, so to that end he decided to kill two birds with one stone as he decided to make his way to Lottie's to check on the progress with the sandbags as well as a quick rest and something to eat.

He had been so lost in his own concerns over the mill that he had almost missed the strange noises he heard from the direction of the river. Deciding to investigate and see if he could find the source of the disturbance, Aaron found himself shocked at the scene before him when he located the source of the noise; a twelve hear old Jemma was standing, waist-deep, in a raging torrent of water trying to pull a chestnut colt, which was as big as she was, from the water to safety. He could still remember the combination of fear, concern, and amazement that found his heart beating faster as he confronted her;

"Young lady, what in the world do you think you're doing? Do you have any idea just how foolish and dangerous what you're doing is? If your brothers were to find out about this Jason would turn you over his knee and right now I'm giving serious consideration to doing just that myself."

Stalking towards her, he wrapped his hand around her wrist in an attempt to pull her from the water, however, much to his surprise, she snatched her arm backwards, out of his grasp before shaking her head vehemently as she wrapped her arms around the colt's neck to help lift its head as she stated adamantly:

"NO! He'll drown if I don't get him out of this water."

Frustrated, Aaron tried reaching for her hand as he pointed out;

"And you'll drown if I don't get YOU our of this water."

Stepping back, she stood her ground;

"I'm not going to just let this poor thing die, he's tangled in some rope or something and I can't pick him up."

Aaron was on the verge of reverting to forcefulness to get her to safety when she looked up at him, even in the dim light from the lantern he was carrying, he could see the pleading look in her eyes as she begged;

"Please, Mr. Stempel, help me get him out of the water. He's already lost his mama, isn't that enough? Please don't let him drown."

Shaking his head in frustration as he realized that he couldn't refuse, Aaron hung the lantern from the low branch of a nearby tree before swearing;

"OH HELL!"

Wading in he placed his hands around her waist, seeing the worried look on her face, he advised;

"I can't concentrate on you and the colt, Jemma, the only way I can help him is if you're out of the water where I know you're safe."

Aaron could still see the pleading look in her eyes as she placed her hands over his before issuing;

"Do you promise you'll help him, Mr. Stempel?"

Despite the situation, Aaron couldn't help laughing; here she was in a dangerous herself, yet she wasn't willing to worry over her safety until she was sure that the colt she had put herself in danger over was going to be safe as well. Nodding, he vowed;

"Yes, little Miss Jemma, I promise."

Even in the rain and the dim light from the lantern he could see that she was searching his face and his eyes for his sincerity, he could also tell that she was satisfied that she had found it when she relented;

"What do you need me to do, Mr. Stempel."

Relieved, Aaron instructed;

"All I need you to do is just put your arms around my neck while I set you up on the bank and then get the lantern closer so I can see while I get him out of the water."

Once he felt her slight arms wrap around his neck Aaron held her firmly about the waist and, making sure of his footing, lifted her out of the water to turn and swing her up onto the bank. He wasn't shocked when she felt solid ground beneath her feet that she complied with his instructions as she bolted to retrieve the lantern before returning to hold it up as he approached the frightened colt. Aaron was beginning to have serious doubts that he would be able to keep the promise he had made due to the colt's struggles in his ever-increasing fear, but he also knew that he couldn't possibly disappoint the little girl either. He decided that the best way to accomplish his goal, especially given the entangled ropes around the colt's legs, was to carry the thing out of the water, something that would be best accomplished if he were able to get the animal to calm down. Much to his astonishment, before he could fathom a plan, Jemma had managed to get close enough to the colt to stroke its nose as she offered softly;

"Calm down, boy, it's going to be alright, I promise."

Although he wasn't certain how she had managed to do so, the fact remained that she had managed to calm the colt enough so that he was able to wrap his arms around the animal's legs and lift it out of the water and onto the bank next to Jemma. Aaron found true amusement as she held her hands out to offer;

"Let me help you out, Mr. Stempel."

Aaron couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief as he took her hands and she used all of her might to pull as he stepped up onto the bank, something that found his amazement turning to amusement as she lost her grip and fell backward into the mud. Reaching down, he pulled her up to her feet before taking the lantern as she approached the colt to comfort it as much as possible before tackling the rope tangled around its back legs. Offering a slight chuckle, Aaron pointed out;

"I think I see what part of your trouble was, you and he are about the same size."

Once she had the animal's legs freed, Aaron demanded;

"Now, Jemma Bolt what on earth are you going to do with that colt? You can't leave it here, not after everything we did to save it, so what are you going to do?"

Lifting her head she stated in a tone that brooked no argument;

"I'll take him back to Lottie's with me. She wouldn't let the poor thing stay outside on a night like this, Mr. Stempel."

Shaking his head he couldn't help but mutter;

"I can't believe that you just risked your neck to save an orphaned colt, young lady. I know that you're much smarter than that, Jemma Bolt."

Turning from her task of trying to get the small colt to stand on his legs, even in the darkness, Aaron could see the puzzled look she wore as she pointed out;

"But you put yourself in danger to save me, Mr. Stempel and I'm an orphan."

Although she said it in a matter of fact tone, Aaron couldn't help the slight lump of emotion that rose in his throat as his tone

of voice and the look on face softened as offered;

"Well, that's different, Jemma."

He wasn't shocked when she demanded;

"But how, he's an orphan too, just like me. Well, I'm luckier than he is because I have Jason, Joshua, Jeremy, and Lottie."

Glancing down as she stroked the colt's nose before looking back up at him, Aaron couldn't help but feel his heart melt at the look in her eyes as she ventured in a sad voice;  
"He doesn't have anybody, but me."

Shaking his head as he realized just how special and loving she was as he prayed that would never change in her, and seeing that she wasn't having much luck getting the animal back on its feet, Aaron placed his mask of gruffness back in place as he took the direct approach as he thrust the lantern into her hands before exclaiming;

"I must be losing my mind."

With that he wrapped his arms around the small colt's legs before ordering in a gruff voice;

"Alright, let's get out of this rain before we get swept away."

Aaron found his thoughts brought back to the present as Julie stated impatiently;

"Aaron, I asked you a question; do you mean to say that you were the one who helped Jemma save her horse that night?"

Using the action of lifting his beer mug as a way to disguise just how uncomfortable he was at having that side of himself revealed, Aaron stated in a gruff voice;

"What I did Julie was to prevent a very headstrong and stubborn young lady from drowning, saving that horse was just a happenstance of that action."

Although he knew that he had managed to convince his sister and Blake that his actions were simply the by-product of trying to ensure a young girl's safety, Aaron knew by the glimmer in her eyes and the slight, knowing smile on her lips that his wife knew better. Despite his aversion to the man, Aaron found himself grateful for the distraction that Blake presented as he inquired;

"So the horse that you have now, that was the colt that you and Aaron rescued when you were a girl?"

At her nod of agreement, he questioned;

"I'm assuming that, since you're the one who raised and trained him, he must be very loyal to you, I mean I'm sure that he doesn't allow anyone else to ride him."

Jemma couldn't help but look at him strangely as she found a bit of humor at his observation;

"You make Windy sound so antisocial, Blake, no, he doesn't let just anyone ride him but he's not unfriendly. The only time he gets a little edgy is when he can't get out to get his exercise, but,"

Placing her hand over Aaron's she offered him a grateful smile as she continued;

"my husband promised me that would be taken care of this afternoon."

Offering a slight shrug as he lifted his glass, Blake apologized;

"I meant no offense, it's just that, considering how you acquired the animal, I just assumed that you would be the only person who could handle him. It's rare to find an animal raised such as your horse was by you and to have such a calm temperament. Do you mind if I ask why you call him 'Windy'?"

Before Jemma could answer all present at the table were surprised to hear Jason's deep voice reply;

"Because of the shock of white on his forehead that looks like a wind cyclone; right, Pixie?"

Looking up as she felt her brother's hand squeeze her shoulder affectionately, Jemma smiled as she nodded;

"Yes. It reminded me of a picture I saw one time of what wind would look like, so I named him 'Windy'."

Noticing the tension that seemed to be building, between Julie, Blake and Jason, Jemma, remembering that the two men had not met, offered;

"Oh, I'm sorry, forgive me. Jason, this is Blake Anderson, Julie's fiancee and Mr. Anderson this is my brother..."

Before she could finish the introduction, Blake had stood to offer his hand as he completed the formality;

"Jason Bolt! Yes, I've heard a great deal about you, all very favorable I might add."

Although he was cordial and polite enough, Jemma couldn't fail to notice how her brother was restrained as he offered a slight nod before acknowledging;

"I've heard about you as well, sir."

Glancing towards Julie before meeting the man's gaze, he offered;

"And allow me to offer you my congratulations on your upcoming marriage."

Even though he offered a smile in response, Jemma couldn't help but notice how it seemed to be one that reminded her of a mask as opposed to one that expressed his genuine happiness over the prospect of spending his life with Julie. Before she could question it any further, Blake suddenly turned to Julie to excuse himself;

"Julie, dear, I hope you don't mind, but I thought I might take a walk. I wanted to look at a piece of land that I heard was possibly going to be going up for sale and, if we're going to consider what we spoke of, I think it would be wise to check it out."

Taking her hand he gave it a slight squeeze before placing a quick kiss on her cheek as he ventured;

"I'm sure you won't mind and I'll be back in time for us to dine together for supper."

Noticing the slight look of disappointment on his sister's face, Aaron couldn't help but ask, his voice full of concern;

"Julie, are you alright?"

Placing what, she hoped, was a convincing smile on her face, Julie offered brightly;

"Of course I am, Aaron. Blake has been checking into some land for us to buy here in Seattle, we're thinking of having a home here as well as in San Francisco and you know how much I hate the boring details of business."

Rising from her chair, she placed her hands on her hips as she chastised;

"Really, Aaron, you seem to want to find a problem where none exists."

With that, she turned and left the saloon. Shocked, Jason turned to his sister to demand;

"THAT'S how they act with each other? And they're planning on getting married?"

Jemma offered her brother a quick nod before noticing the look of frustration that Aaron wore. Placing her hand over his, she offered quietly;

"Darling, you know that she didn't mean to sound that way. You know that she's been a bundle of nerves since she got here."

Despite his silent nod of agreement, she could see that his sister's brusqueness was bothering him. Seeking to divert his thoughts, she squeezed his hand gently before a tender smile lifted the corners of her mouth as she reminded him;

"Didn't you say something about taking me for a ride and letting Windy get a little exercise today?"

Aaron couldn't help but shake his head as he chuckled slightly before returning the gesture as he rose to pull her chair out for her before remarking;

"Yes, I did."

Turning to Jason, Aaron offered;

"Jason, would you like to go riding with us?"

Although given the issue of Jemma's safety, Jason wasn't shocked by his brother in law's invitation, he also didn't want to intrude on the couple's time together, so to that end he suggested;

"I appreciate the invitation, Aaron, but I think I'll let you two enjoy your ride. But, if my sister wouldn't mind, would you mind if we discussed a few things while you're getting the horses ready?"

Turning to Jemma in silent question, he wasn't surprised when she offered a slight shrug of her shoulders as she agreed amiably;

"I don't mind, besides I need to change out of my dress anyway."

Despite their slightly dour moods, Jemma found herself enjoying her brother and husband's company as they made the quick journey to the house. Hurrying inside, she made her way upstairs to change into something more appropriate for riding before rushing outside to join her husband and brother at the small barn where the horses were housed. Jemma couldn't help but frown slightly as she noticed that one of the panes in one of the barn windows seemed to have been broken, something that found her thinking aloud;

"I wonder how that happened? I'll have to tell Aaron so he can fix it."

Noticing how Jason and Aaron were engrossed in whatever topic they were discussing, Jemma took a blanket to lay across Windy's back before reaching for her saddle. Although he was in deep conversation with Jason, Aaron noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that his wife was reaching for her saddle. Abruptly, he suspended the conversation as he closed the distance between them before shaking his head to issue;

"I don't think so, young lady."

Taking the saddle from where it rested on the inside fence railing, he placed it on the horse's back before turning to face his wife;

"I don't want you lifting anything heavy, Miss Stubborn; understand?"

Placing her hands on her hips, Jemma gave her husband a chastising look before shaking her head as she laughingly pointed out;

"You're going to spoil me, you know that, don't you?"

Offering her a tender smile, Aaron nodded as he placed a quick kiss on her lips before advising;

"That's my intention, love. You go ahead and finish with Windy's saddle while Jason and I finish our conversation and then we'll go; alright?"

Aaron couldn't help the smile that lit his face as he watched her hurry to comply with his suggestion, especially as she began stroking the horse's nose as she talked to the animal while slipping his bridle on. Something that found him shaking his head in amazement at her childlike enthusiasm. Returning to his own animal and the rest of his conversation with Jason, Aaron began securing the bridle in place when he and Jason heard Windy's, almost, hysterical neighing and Jemma's panicked voice begging;

"CALM DOWN, WINDY! WHAT'S THE MATTER, BOY?!

Both wore identical masks of fear as they turned in time to see the horse rear up on its hind legs as it kicked out with its front legs in Jemma's direction, a wild and terrified look in its eyes. Fear lending strength to his voice, Aaron roared;

"JEMMA! GET OUT OF THERE! GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

Although she had been trying to calm the animal, Jemma realized that, for whatever reason, her presence seemed to be making the horse more agitated. Seeing the wisdom of her husband's panicked dictate, she tried easing her way backwards from the animal, but, as it reared on its hind legs and began kicking out with its front legs in her direction, Jemma leaned backward to avoid the horse's hooves and found herself caught off balance as she stumbled backward. The last thing that she knew was that she was falling backward, unable to stop herself, and then the painful thud she felt as the back of her head connected with the bottom rail of the fence, just before she blacked out.

Aaron's fear turned to full-blown horror when he saw his wife fall and hit her head before losing consciousness, especially as the animal continued its tirade of stomping and kicking so close to her unconscious and helpless body. Jason was no less frightened as he motioned to the other side of the animal before ordering;

"I'll distract him, you go help her."

Jason caught the animal's attention as he waved his hand in the line of the horse's vision to distract him, something that found the big animal turning in his direction and away from his sister. Taking the opportunity presented, Aaron quickly knelt next to his wife to place his arm behind her shoulders to lift her from the ground as he used his free hand to pat her cheek before pleading;

"Jemma, love! Come on, sweetheart open your eyes for me!"

Seeing his window of opportunity closing as Jason was losing the animal's attention, Aaron quickly lifted Jemma in his arms and hurried from the corral area, effectively putting the fence and gate between the horse and he and his wife. However, his attention was momentarily diverted when, in an attempt to keep the horse's attention focused on him and not on his sister and brother in law, Jason reached out and shoved at the saddle on the horse's back. He quickly realized that Jemma had not secured the cinch at the bottom of the saddle when the leather strap slid from the buckle as he shoved at the saddle, causing it to fall from the horse's back. Both men were puzzled as the horse, once more, became quiet and calm.

Addressing his more immediate concern, Aaron placed Jemma on a hay bale as he tried waking her;

"Come on, darlin, open your eyes. Wake up, Jemma."

His fear began to lessen when she began to moan slightly as she began stirring before her eyes opened slowly. Her voice full of confusion, she demanded;

"What happened?"

He wasn't surprised when he eyes widened in panic as she exclaimed;

"Is Windy alright?"

Shaking his head as he placed his hand against the back of her head to see how badly hurt she might be, Aaron couldn't help but observe;

"Leave it to you to be worried about a horse that could have killed you. Let's make sure YOU'RE alright and then we'll worry about him."

Noticing the grimace of pain that crossed her features as his fingers found a large lump at the back of her head, he nodded as he pointed out;

"Well, that explains how you got knocked out."

Before he could elaborate, Jason approached to demand;

"Pixie, are you alright? You're not having any pain or anything are you?"

Shaking her head, Jemma offered;

"No, I'll be fine, Jason. But what about Windy? He's never acted like that before, and definitely not with me."

Holding out his handkerchief, covered with spots of blood, Jason offered;

"I think that this might well explain it."

Shocked, Aaron demanded;

"What do you mean? Did he hurt you?"

Motioning towards the, now, calm animal, he shook his head;

"No, but he got hurt. After he calmed down I noticed some blood on his back."

The worry evident on her face as well as in her voice, Jemma demanded sharply;

"What do you mean there's blood on his back, Jason? How and why would someone do something like that?"

Suspicion lighting his features, Jason muttered;

"I wonder."

Making his way to where it had fallen, Jason retrieved the saddle from the ground to return with it as he set it on the fence rail as if to examine it before questioning;

"Pixie, is there any way that your saddle could be mistaken for any of the other ones here?"

Shaking his head, Aaron answered;

"I don't see how Jason. That saddle was made to accommodate someone Jemma's size, you know that."

Nodding, Jason agreed;

"So it's smaller and easily identified as yours."

Looking from her husband to her brother, the confusion evident in her eyes, Jemma asked in frustration;

"Yes, but I don't understand what that has..."

Before she could finish her statement, Jason flipped the saddle upside down. Staring at the results of their inspection, a numb look on her face, Jemma lifted her eyes to search her brothers before asking in a pleading voice;

"But why? Why would someone want to do that to Windy?"

Realizing the implications of what he saw, Aaron's jaw seemed to tighten like a statue as his chest rose and fell heavily in an effort to contain the mix of fear, anger, and concern that he felt as he reached out to pluck a shard of glass from where it had been forced into the underside of the saddle. Noticing how the glass had been carefully placed in the center of the underside of the leather, Aaron observed;

"So nothing happens until some weight, say about someone the size of Jemma, is put into the saddle. Where did they get the glass from?"

Realizing what happened, Jemma turned from one to the other as her eyes widened before explaining;

"I think I know. I noticed that one of the panes in the barn window was broken, I was going to mention it to you so we could fix it. But it's my fault he got cut."

Seeing the confused look on both men's faces, she hastened to clarify her statement;

"I mean, when I was trying to cinch up the saddle, it slid up his back when I was tightening it. When it did, that glass must have dug into him and cut him."

Shaking her head as the thought occurred to her, she found herself lamenting;

"Poor Windy, he must hate me for hurting him."

Staring at her in disbelief, Aaron demanded;

"POOR WINDY! Sweetheart, YOU were the one on the ground, he could have killed you."

Adamantly, she shook her head;

"No, Aaron, he didn't know what he was doing. All he knew was that he was being hurt and he was trying to stop it, he didn't hurt me intentionally. And technically, I hurt myself because I stumbled and fell."

Noticing the animal standing off to the side of the fence, near Jason, Jemma could see that it was trying to edge closer and closer as well as the sad look in the creature's eyes. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a couple of sugar cubes and held her hand open through the fence, not surprisingly, he came forward to take the treats from her hand. Reaching up to stroke the animal's nose, she offered;

"It's okay, boy, it's not your fault."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, but men couldn't help but be amazed and amused as the horse stepped closer to put its head over the top rail of the fence before giving Jemma a slight nudge as if trying to nuzzle against her neck. Despite the relief she felt at the fact that Windy still trusted her, her manner turned serious as she ventured;

"I have to tend to those cuts, I don't want him getting an infection."

Jason and Aaron glanced at each other in uncertainty as Aaron ventured hesitantly;

"Darlin, are you sure? I mean you have a good-sized bump on the back of your head, should you be getting up like that just this second?"

Despite his warning, he could see her determination as she pushed herself up, however, what she was planning on doing and what her body was prepared to let her do were two very different things. Jemma knew that she should have heeded her husband's advice as wave after wave of dizziness swept over her, something that found her legs wobbling in weakness. She wasn't surprised when she noticed Aaron shake his head as he stated firmly;

"No, you shouldn't be."

Just before sweeping her up into his arms. Jemma found that all she could do to find some measure of relief from the spinning effect was to close her eyes and lay her head against her husband's shoulder. Trying to push the waves of nausea down, the effort weakening her voice, she pleaded softly;

"But what about Windy? I can't leave him like.."

Cutting off the remainder of her argument, Aaron brooked no room for debate as he dictated;

"I'll make sure that Windy is taken care of. You are going to bed and I'm going to have Dr. Wright come take a look at that bump and make sure that you're going to be alright. No arguments, Jemma Elysia, I mean it."

Beginning to feel too weak and ill to argue, she offered a slight nod before closing her eyes as Jason offered;

"I'll go get Allyn and I'll take care of Windy for you."

Nodding his thanks, Aaron hurried into the house and up the stairs to tend to his wife.

Once Jason had returned with Allyn Wright and had tended to the horse's wounds, he and Aaron sat in the living room waiting for the results of Jemma's examination. Although he had poured them both a glass of whiskey, neither seemed very interested in the contents of the glasses in front of them. Deciding to break the silence, Jason informed him;

"Windy's cuts weren't too bad, but I think that, given the circumstances, it might be best if I took him with me up to the cabin for a few days. I can tend to him there easier and Pixie is less likely to worry that way, or try to tend him herself."

His elbow braced on the table as he held his chin in his hand, contemplating the earlier events, Aaron simply nodded before muttering;  
"This could have had a very different ending, Jason. If she had not just happened to shift that saddle and cause that horse to do what it did, she would have been in the saddle and it would have thrown her. Do you realize that there is no

best-case scenario for this? If she had been thrown she would have surely lost the baby, and could very well have broken her neck to boot."

Rising from his chair, Aaron paced for a moment before leaning against the wall as he jammed his hands in his pockets before shaking his head;

"Jason, someone broke that glass intending to put that glass where they did. I just checked those windows yesterday and they were all fine, so whoever did it, did it today and they did it just for this."

Jason sat for a moment, twirling his glass as he studied the contents in the hopes that the liquid might hold some type of answer before draining the glass. Placing it on the table, he faced his brother in law;

"Aaron, you know that we can't keep this from her anymore, don't you? I mean the snake, that was one thing, but there's no denying that this was aimed at her, especially considering that it was HER saddle they sabotaged."

Shaking his head, Jason stated firmly;

"We HAVE to tell her."

Neither having heard her approach, both men found themselves shocked as they heard Allyn's soft voice direct;

"I think that would be a very good suggestion, gentlemen."

Turning, his concern apparent, Aaron demanded;

"How is she, Dr. Wright?"

Motioning to the decanter on the table, Allyn asked;

"May I?"

Making his way to the sideboard, Jason got a glass and poured a small amount of the amber liquid into it before handing it to her. Taking a seat at the table, she offered;

"I'm sorry, but it's been a rough morning."

Shaking his head, Aaron voiced;

"There's no need to apologize, I think the only one who hasn't needed a drink so far is Jemma. But I'd greatly appreciate it if you would tell me how she is."

Taking a deep breath, Allyn launched in;

"First of all, the baby is just fine. From what she told me, Jemma stumbled backward and fell, luckily, in a pile of hay, so her fall was cushioned. As to the dizziness and nausea; she has a good-sized bump on the back of her head but no concussion, although considering it was hard enough to knock her out for a few minutes the dizziness isn't a surprise. The nausea; given she's experiencing morning sickness the dizziness can easily trigger nausea, but it's nothing to worry about. All in all, I would say that she is going to be just fine. Now, as to the discussion I walked in on,"

Glancing from one to the other, she admonished;

"Mr. Stempel, your wife is, by no means, a stupid of ignorant woman; something that I was certain you were aware of. I understand your earlier reasoning behind not wanting to tell her your and Jason's suspicions, however, I think that you're being foolish in not telling her. After what happened today, there aren't any doubts that whoever did this is specifically targeting Jemma for reasons known only to them."

Seeing the rising frustration in his face, she sought another route as she ventured;

"Let me put it in these terms; there's no denying just how much you love your wife or the fact that you'd do anything you can to protect her, even if that means risking your own life. Do you think that Jemma loves you any less than what you love her?"

Seeing that he was comprehending the truth of her statement, Allyn decided to push the point as she pointed out;

"Aaron, if Jemma would risk her life to save that horse when it was a colt and she was just a girl, what lengths would she go to to protect the man that she loves?"

His eyes widening in fear as he comprehended her words, Aaron turned to Jason who could only nod before confirming;

"You know her well enough to know that Allyn is right, Aaron. If she thinks that you're the one in danger the only thing that might make her pause is the fact of her condition and trying to protect that child."

Sighing in resignation, Aaron admitted;

"We have no choice then, we have to tell her what's going on."

Rising from her chair, Allyn advised;

"I gave her some ginger tea, it seems to help settle her stomach. I'm certain that after she gets a good night's sleep her dizziness will pass, but, showing or not, I don't want her up on that horse until after the baby is born."

Walking her to the door, Aaron offered;

"Thank you, Dr. Wright."

Once the door had closed, Aaron leaned his back against it as he crossed his arms over his chest before pleading;

"I know that it's my responsibility, Jason, but would you mind..."

Nodding as he placed his hand on his brother in law's shoulder, Jason nodded;

"Yes, Aaron, I'll help you tell her what's going on."

With that, Aaron led the way to the stairs, turning before taking the first step, he ventured;

"You realize that she's, more than likely, going to be riled that we didn't tell her before now; don't you?"

Shrugging, Jason pointed out;

"It's not going to be the first time that we've seen the sharp side of her tongue or temper and it probably won't be the last."

Motioning towards the top, he issued;

"Let's get this over with." 


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

Never having been one to lay about, even when she felt ill, Jemma had convinced Allyn that she felt well enough to sit up, something that the physician agreed to as long as Jemma promised to rest and take it easy for the rest of the day. She couldn't help but dwell on the events that took place over the past few days; what happened with the rattlesnake and now what had taken place with Windy. The thing that she found most frightening was the fact that, had she just not happened to have moved her saddle, Windy would have thrown her from the saddle when she attempted to mount him, something that would have, more than likely cost her the life of her unborn child. Even before Allyn had decreed that she did not want her on a horse until after the baby's birth, Jemma had made up her mind to cease her riding activities until then. Despite how much she hated to neglect Windy's exercise, Jemma had no intention of placing her unborn child at risk.

Aside from her concern over the safety of their baby, Jemma couldn't shake the feeling that, especially after today, whatever was going on was no longer aimed at just Aaron. While she had never been skittish at the idea of defending herself if the need arose, that had been when she only had herself to think about if she came to any harm or injury. Now, she had the baby to consider if she should come to harm or find herself injured, something that she took very seriously since the only protection that the child had was what she was able to provide. Taking a sip of the tea that Allyn had prepared for her to help settle her stomach she heard footsteps on the staircase just before the door opened as Aaron peeked around it to ask;

"Sweetheart, are you decent?"

Despite the serious nature of her thoughts, Jemma couldn't help but offer a slight giggle as she quipped;

"Isn't that a rather strange question to ask your expectant wife, love?"

Seeing the serious look that her husband wore, she tilted her head to the side as she realized that she had heard more than Aaron's footsteps on the stairs. Assuming the reason for his inquiry, she pointed out;

"I have my robe on so tell Jason to come in."

Not bothering to question how she knew, Aaron opened the door wider as he motioned Jason inside the room. Nodding towards the bed, Jason lifted an eyebrow in inquiry as he asked;

"May I?"

Nodding, Jemma waved towards the bed as she offered;

"Have a seat, Jason."

Noticing how Aaron stood leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets, Jemma set her cup of tea on the nearby table before demanding;

"Alright you two, there's something that you want to tell me but you're not sure how to do it."

Shaking her head, she ventured;

"I'm guessing that it probably has something to do with what happened today and with what happened with that snake."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, she couldn't help but feel a certain amount of satisfaction at the matching looks of shock that her brother and husband wore as she turned to Aaron to speculate;

"Would I be correct in assuming that, whatever is going on isn't necessarily aimed strictly at you, darling?"

Nodding, Jason sought to explain;

"Pixie, Aaron and I, well we don't think that what happened with the rattlesnake was something that was meant for Aaron. We think that it was meant for you."

Seeing the look of disbelief on her face, Jason rationalized;

"Sweetie, whoever did that had to have been watching the office that day. There was a small gap of time between the time you walked Candy out and you returned, alone, to the office, which means they would have known that Aaron was in the mill and you were alone in the office. Add to that what happened today and that's the only conclusion that we can come to."

Jason could see by the way that she closed her eyes briefly before taking several deep breaths that she wasn't very happy with the revelation, although whether it was with what was taking place or with the fact that it had been kept from her, he wasn't certain. The mystery was soon solved as she looked from one to the other, green sparks of anger and frustration glowing in her eyes before demanding;

"How long? How long have you two known or suspected this?

Noticing how her husband hung his head slightly, she pinned her brother with her eyes and waited as he replied;

"I started suspecting it the same day as the incident with the rattler. Aaron and I discussed it and realized how strong a possibility it was, and then today, it left no doubts."

Jemma wasn't certain what was frustrating her more; the fear that she was feeling at the idea that someone was intentionally trying to cause her bodily harm, if not death, the danger that it possessed for her baby or the fact that it had been kept from her."

Crossing her arms over her chest, she pressed;

"And just who was it that decided I didn't need to be as informed as the two of you?"

Lifting his head, Aaron met her gaze as he admitted;

"Jemma, that was a decision I made."

Rising from her chair, Jemma turned to her brother and stated in a tone that held neither reproach nor anger, just simple sadness, and frustration as she pointed out;

"Jason, I love you more, I think than you'll ever know. You're not just my brother but you're the only father that I've ever really known, something I don't take lightly. But when will you ever accept the fact that I am a grown woman? I appreciate that you want to protect me, but I need to know and I have the right to know what is going on, especially when I'm the one affected."

Aaron had been fully prepared to catch the sharp side of her anger and her tongue, but he found himself regretting that had not been the case when he saw the hurt and disappointment in her eyes as she approached him before lifting her eyes to meet his as she reminded him;

"Do you remember what you promised me on our wedding night? You told me that you would always tell me the truth and never keep anything from me."

Had he been kicked in the gut by a horse, Aaron couldn't have felt more pain than what he did as tears began sliding from his wife's eyes, unchecked before she pointed out;

"Do you realize that, had I been let in on this little secret you two have been keeping, I would not have wanted to go riding because I would have been more cautious than that? We could have, in all reality, lost our baby today, Aaron, something that, had I been aware that I'm the one being targeted, could have been prevented. I just thank God that we didn't."

Wiping at the tears that were falling freely down her cheeks, Jemma motioned towards the bed as she ordered;

"Sit down."

Holding his tongue for the moment, Aaron complied and sat next to Jason as Jemma faced both men before declaring;

"I want the two of you to understand what I am about to say and to understand it completely. Now, I am blessed to have the two of you as well as Joshua, Jeremy and even Lottie and Candy who all love me and want to protect me and keep me safe, something that I am truly grateful for. However,"

Placing her hand over her stomach, she continued;

"What none of you seem to realize is that this child has only one person to protect him or her; me."

Seeing her husband about to argue, she held her hand up to stall him as she ordered;

"Hear me out, Aaron. Until this baby is born I'm the only one who can make sure that this child is safe, that means making certain that I don't do something stupid and put myself in danger or harm's way. Now tell me, how can I make certain that I avoid doing just that if I don't even know that such a thing is a possibility?"

Although she could see that she had made her point with her husband and her brother by the twin masks of guilt that they were wearing, Jemma tried pushing her hurt aside and found that she couldn't do so at the moment. Shaking her head as she wiped the tears from her eyes, she ordered;

"I want the two of you to think about what almost happened today and then you let me know if keeping me in the dark would have been worth the life of this child."

With that she left the room, both jumped as they heard the front door slam shut. Jason turned to his brother in law and, seeing the look of devastation on his face, put his hand on the man's shoulder as he offered;

"Aaron, I'm sorry, but you know she's just upset. She'll realize that we were just trying to do what we thought best for her and she'll calm down."

Rising quickly, Aaron shook his head vehemently as he shoved his hands in his pockets before theorizing;

"Were we, Jason, or were we just doing what was easiest for us and trying to convince ourselves that we were doing it for her?"

Crossing to the window, Aaron pulled back the curtains to gaze out into the darkening sky as he pointed out;

"She's right, Jason, and the thing is that this isn't your fault, it's mine. I'm the one who decided that she didn't need to know, and she's right; we just got very lucky today, but had I told her what was going on she probably wouldn't have asked to go riding, but if she had, she would have been a lot more careful and what happened could have been avoided."

Lowering his eyes, as if the pattern in the carpet might hold an answer, Jason tried to defend;

"But, Aaron, we were only trying..."

Nodding, Aaron finished the statement;

"I know, Jason, 'protect her'. But she's right, all we can do is try to make sure that she's as safe as possible, but, ultimately, the only one that can protect our baby right now is Jemma and that means that she needs to be as informed as we are, especially when she's the one in danger."

Making his mind up to what had to be done to rectify the situation, Aaron crossed the room to the bedroom door as Jason demanded;

"What are you going to do?"

Glancing over his shoulder from the doorway, Aaron

answered;

"What I should have done all along; Keep the promise that I made to her on our wedding night and remember the fact that I'm married to a grown woman and not a child."

Jason wasn't surprised that, after he heard Aaron descending the staircase, the next sound he heard was that of the front door opening and closing. Sitting for a moment longer before making his way to the living room, Jason realized that he needed to learn from this particular mistake and Aaron's example and remember that, although she might be his baby sister, Jemma wasn't a baby, not anymore.

Slamming the door shut Jemma glanced around, trying to decide which direction she should go, although she knew that, for safety's sake, she shouldn't venture too far from the house, noticing Windy in the small corral area she made her way to the fence. She knew that, as soon as the horse noticed her approach, Windy would make his way to where she stood to hang his head over the top rail of the fence to nudge at her as she scratched between his ears as she shared her thoughts with the creature that had always listened to her;

"Windy, when will they ever stop treating me like I'm still a little girl? Even my husband treats me like that, despite the fact that I'm carrying his child."

Although most people thought that the idea of talking to a horse was silly, Jemma still found great comfort in being able to confide her deepest thoughts with Windy. She knew that people would think her odd if they knew just how many conversations she had with her horse, but the truth was that since the night she and Aaron had rescued him as a colt, there just seemed to be a much closer connection between Jemma and Windy than could be explained. However, the answer was a simple one; after placing herself in danger to help the creature and so many years of caring and loving him, Windy trusted Jemma implicitly and knew that she would never allow him to be harmed or mistreated. So it was no surprise that, sensing her mood, the animal tried to offer her comfort in the only way it knew how; nudging at her before nuzzling his head next to her.

Aaron wasn't surprised that she didn't venture very far from the house, he knew that, no matter how angry or upset she might be, she wouldn't knowingly place herself in danger in her condition. He has assumed that he would, more than likely, be able to find her with her horse, something that found him relieved as he noticed her standing at the fence. Quietly, he approached her and felt his heart drop as he overheard her comment, not so much the words but more the sadness that he heard in her voice as she said it. Having made his mind up earlier to what was the right thing to do, Aaron stepped up behind her and felt her start as he wrapped his arms around her waist before apologizing;

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

Continuing to stroke Windy's nose, Jemma shrugged slightly as she pointed out;

"I just didn't know you were behind me, you just surprised me, that's all."

Placing his hands on her shoulders he turned her to face him as he shook his head as he explained;

"Not just for that, but for everything."

Seeing the surprised look in her eyes, he continued;

"I was wrong for not telling you, but darlin, I swear, I didn't want to cause you more worry than what was necessary, not in your condition. And admittedly, I was afraid that if you knew someone wanted to cause you harm when there was no earthly reason for anybody to want to do so that the idea of someone bearing such a grudge against you would break your heart and I didn't want to see that happen."

Jemma let out a sigh of thinly veiled frustration as she pleaded;

"Aaron, I love you more than you'll ever know, but why do you have to be so stubborn? When are you, or my brothers for that matter, going to realize that I'm not as weak and fragile as you seem to think I am, neither in body or in spirit?"

Cupping her husband's face in her hands, as if she was trying to direct his focus on her, she declared;

"My darling heart, I am a perfectly normal and healthy woman who just so happens to be expecting a baby. You, of all people, should know that I'm a lot tougher and stronger than I may appear to be and, although it might be considered hubris on my part, I would like to flatter myself that I am not a stupid woman who needs someone to do her thinking for her. I appreciate that you and Jason were trying to spare me, and I love you for the fact that your hearts were in the right place, but Aaron, I'm not a little girl who has to be kept in the dark for 'her own good'."

Biting at her bottom lip in contemplation, Jemma placed her hands against his chest as she demanded;

"I want to ask you something and I want the truth; did you marry me with the idea of protecting me as if I were a little girl, or did you marry me because I'm the woman that you want to share your life with?"

His eyes widening in shock at her question, Aaron stated gruffly;

"For heaven's sake, Jemma, you know the answer to that question. I waited for more than two years to make you my wife, you know that I wanted to marry you because you're the woman I love and want to share my life with, not to mention the only woman that I could imagine being the mother of my child, or children, the Good Lord willing."

Aaron could see the pleading look in her eyes as she softly beseeched ;

"Then stop treating me like I'm some sort of fragile porcelain doll who is going to crack or break at the slightest bit of pressure. And as far as worrying about my feelings being hurt; yes, they may well be but that's life and I'm intelligent enough to know that. As far as what's taking place now."

Shaking her head she declared;

"No, my feelings aren't hurt by this because I can't think of anything that either of us, or for that matter, my brothers might have done for someone to feel justified in wanting to see me come to harm, or worse. Not to mention the fact that everyone knows we're expecting a baby, so whoever is doing this isn't someone with a conscious or someone who is out for revenge, it's someone who enjoys causing pain and doesn't mind doing so to someone innocent and that doesn't hurt my feelings it makes me furious that someone is trying to cause harm to our child."

Seeing the determined look she wore, Aaron couldn't help but find himself reminded of one of the many qualities about Jemma that has drawn him to her in the first place. Pushing her hair behind her shoulder, Aaron sighed in resignation as he ventured;

"You continuously amaze me, sweetheart, you truly do. There aren't many women who wouldn't shrink away at the idea of facing what you are or want to hide away from the world and have their problem solved for them. Yet, here you are, ready to face it head-on without batting an eye."

Motioning towards the house, she suggested;

"Since I'm quite certain that you and Jason have also formulated a plan of some sort, don't you think the three of us need to discuss it so that we're all on the same page?"

Nodding, Aaron agreed;

"Yes, and I promise you, no more keeping things from you. Good or bad, I'll tell you what's going on and we'll deal with it, together. Fair enough?"

At her silent nod of agreement, he advised her;

"There's just one little thing I need to take care of before that though."

Her curiosity showing in her eyes she demanded;

"What's that? I know that Windy's back has been tended to, so what do you have to take care of?"

Placing his finger under her chin, he tilted her head up as he lowered his head to place his lips against hers, something that he could tell brought a smile to her face and eyes as he confessed;

"I needed to get a kiss from the prettiest girl in Seattle, who I happen to be lucky enough to be married to."

Putting his arm around her shoulders, he motioned towards their house before suggesting;

"Alright, let's you, me and Jason talk about what we've figured out."

Half an hour or so later as she, Aaron and Jason sat around the kitchen table, having decided to kill two birds with one stone by making certain that Jemma ate as they explained the plan that they had formulated to ensure she was protected. She rose from her chair to begin clearing the table when Aaron and Jason shook their heads as Aaron advised;

"Nope, not tonight, Jason and I can wash up, you sit down and finish every drop of that milk."

Rolling her eyes she replied sarcastically;

"Yes, Sir."

Draining the contents of the glass she handed the empty glass to her waiting husband as she summarized their explanation;

"Alright, so let me see if I understand this correctly; the reason that you want me in the mill office, and you offered Candy a temporary job helping me, is to make sure that I stay close to you and so I'm not left by myself?"

At their nod of agreement of her assessment of the situation, Jemma tilted her head to the side as she demanded;

"Well, tell me this; is there really a lot of work going on or did you two just happen to come up with that idea to justify why I needed to be in the office?"

Glancing at each other in silent question, Jason began;

"Well, there is a good deal of..."

Shaking his head, Aaron stopped him;

"No, Jason. I promised her that we would tell her the truth and that's what we're going to do."

Having finished with the dishes, Aaron dried his hands before sitting in the kitchen chair across from his wife to take her hand as he admitted;

"We DO have a lot of work that we're trying to get done, but it's not as big of a crunch as we were trying to convince you of, sweetheart. You see, we have another one of the Army contracts coming up in just a couple of weeks or so and we're wanting to have most of it done before the contract begins. BUT, since we don't want anyone else to know what's going on because

we don't want whoever is behind all of this to think that we're on to them, we've let the men think that we're revving up to fill a big contract. Everyone knows that when we've got a lot of work going on you tend to help out in the office to keep things from falling behind, and that's what we're still going to let them think."

Glancing between the two men, she questioned;

"Who, outside of us and Josh and Jeremy knows what's REALLY going on?"

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, Jason took a seat at the table as he explained;

"Allyn figured out that something wasn't right, but you know that she's no talking fool either. Lottie knows too, she figured out that something was wrong and confronted me and Aaron about it today. You know as well as we do that there isn't any fooling Lottie, not to mention the fact that she may well be able to learn information that we wouldn't find out otherwise."

Nodding her understanding, Jemma questioned;

"I'm going to assume that Candy just thinks that she's going to be helping me out to make it easier on me, especially considering the baby?"

Both men nodded their agreement as she demanded sharply;

"Alright, is there anything else, no matter how small, that I need to know or that you two need to tell me?"

Aaron and Jason exchanged questioning looks before Aaron shook his head as he confirmed;

"No, I think that we've told you everything, at least everything that we can think of."

Jemma could see that a thought had just occurred to him as he rose from the chair before advising;

"Just a second, there is something else."

Puzzled, Jemma turned to her brother as Aaron hurried from the room to demand;

"Jason, where is he going?"

Offering a slight shake of his head, Jason shrugged as he confessed;

"I don't know, Pixie."

Before either could question Aaron's sudden departure from the room he returned. As he took his chair once more, Jemma noticed that he had something tightly gripped in his left hand as he sat down. Reaching across the table, he took her wrist in his free hand before placing the object in his left hand in her open palm. Jemma stared at the object in disbelief before lifting her eyes to stare into her husband's in shock as she stated;

"But, Aaron, you and Jason both always said that this wasn't how things should be settled."

Jason sat for a moment, his chin in his hand, as he contemplated the Derringer in his sister's palm. Deciding to hold his peace until asked for, he sat silent as Aaron stated his position;

"Jemma love, you know I don't believe in carrying a gun because when you carry a gun the temptation to settle things with gunplay is too great. But, there are times when it's necessary for protection, this is one of those times."

Seeing the uncertainty in his sister's eyes, Jason wasn't surprised when she turned to him to ask;

"Jason?"

Jason knew that his sister's hesitation wasn't due to a fear of guns on her part, but rather the fear of the damage that a gun could cause. Although he had tried to impart onto his brothers and sister the same reverence for firearms that their father had taught him, he had also understood the need for proficiency with weapons and had made certain that his siblings understood the need as well and ensured that they each acquired that skill. He also knew that the hesitation he now saw wasn't due to any lack of concern regarding her skill with a firearm. As with most skills that she put her mind and determination to, Jemma had mastered and excelled at handling a gun, whether it was a handgun, a rifle or a shotgun, however, she also saw her skill as a necessary evil and only to be used in a time of life or death. Knowing his sister's feeling about the piece of metal in her hand, Jason leaned forward as he pointed out;

"Pixie, I know very well how you feel about guns, especially considering that I'm the one who taught you about them, but Aaron's right; there are times when they are necessary. Sweetie, this is one of those times, we have no idea who we're dealing with and they have proven themselves dangerous, the fact is that, no matter how well Aaron and I plan to keep you safe, all it will take is that one moment where you're by yourself. If it were to come down to that,"

Motioning towards the small firearm, Jason continued;

"What you're holding in your hand may well be the only thing that can protect you and the child that you're carrying. "

Although they knew that she was wrestling with how she felt as well as the necessity of the situation, especially given how she tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth, both men knew that, when she allowed a sigh of resignation to escape from between her lips, she had come to grips with the necessity of what her husband had suggested, even before she nodded and admitted;

"Alright, you're right. I'm the one who pitched a fit about being treated like a grown woman and not a little girl and that means accepting responsibility for doing what it takes to protect myself and this baby."

Satisfied that, at least, the matter of his sister's self-protection had been solved, as had a much larger issue that was causing issues between him and his sister as well as she and Aaron, Jason rose to leave. Turning to Jemma, he brought up the subject that he knew she wasn't going to very happy about; the subject of relocating Windy. Taking a deep settling breath, Jason ventured;

"I know that you're not going to like this, little sister, but given what happened today, Aaron and I think that it would be a good idea if I were to take Windy with me."

Seeing the stricken look on her face, Aaron rushed to explain their logic;

"Jemma love, we're not going to have him put down or anything like that, I swear to you. But, Jason and I discussed it and, we think that in view of the circumstances and for appearances sake to whoever did this, if Jason takes the horse with him they'll think that it's being done for your safety, something that may well make them careless and help us catch them much easier."

Seeing the worry in her eyes, Jason placed his hand on her shoulder as he vowed;

"Pixie, we know how much Windy means to you, I promise you we'd never see any harm come to that animal unless there was just no other way. I'm going to take him up to the lumber camp where Josh, Jeremy, and I can keep an eye on him and make sure his cuts are tended. Besides, Allyn said, showing or not, absolutely no more riding until after the baby is born, this way he'll have some room to run and one of us we'll make sure that he's ridden, plus you can come and visit him whenever you'd like."

Despite the frustrated sigh they heard, both men weren't surprised when she rose from her chair to go to a container on the counter and produce a sack that she handed to Jason. Curious, Jason demanded;

"What on earth is this?"

Nodding towards the sack, Jemma advised;

"Those are Windy's sugar cubes, he gets 3 of those a day; one in the morning, one later and one at night."

Jason couldn't help but chuckle as he nodded;

"Alright, sweetie, I promise that I'll make sure he gets them, I'll see to it myself."

Placing a kiss on his sister's forehead in farewell, he advised;

"Stop worrying, Pixie, I promise you we'll find the person behind all of this and things will get back to normal. Then, all you'll have to worry about is getting the nursery ready for that baby."

Turning to his brother in law, Jason issued;

"Take good care of her, Aaron."

Nodding, Aaron agreed;

"You know that isn't even something you have to worry about, Jason."

Motioning towards the door, he offered;

"Come on, I'll walk you out."

Once the kitchen door was closed, Jason confessed;

"Well, she took it much better than I thought she would."

Nodding, Aaron ventured;

"I think the difference is that she knows what's going on."

Shaking his head, Aaron theorized;

"She doesn't care for being left in the dark, Jason. And, admittedly, I don't blame her."

After Jason had left and he returned inside, Aaron and Jemma tried falling into their routine of reading; Aaron his papers and Jemma whatever book she might happen to be interested in at that time. However, Aaron could tell that she wasn't having much success at concentrating on her novel that night, especially given how she kept picking it up and putting it down. He could tell that she was agitated, especially when she sat the book on the table next to her chair before suddenly rising to go stand in front of the window as she looked out into the night beyond the boundaries of the glass panes. Quietly, he put his paper aside and crossed the space to stand behind her as he encircled her in his arms before pulling her closer against him as he promised;

"I know that it's distressing, love, but I promise that we'll catch whoever it is."

Shaking her head, she confessed;

"It isn't just that, honey, I feel like something has been taken and I don't even know any reasonable answer as to why."

Turning her to face him, Aaron laid his arms across her shoulders as he clasped his hands behind her neck as he ventured;

"Sweetheart, you know as well as I do that, whatever the reason, it's one that the culprit has concocted in their own mind and nothing that you've done. But as far as that goes, we won't know until we catch whoever it is, so let's just worry about catching them and then we'll worry about the why later on."

Although she had offered a silent nod of agreement at his logic, he could still see by the sad look in her eyes that there was something more bothering her. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he prompted;

"Alright, Jemma, what else is it that's bothering you?"

Releasing a deep breath, she shook her head as she admitted;

"I know you'll say I'm silly for this, but here lately, I feel like everyone thinks of me as some

type of fragile doll that everyone is too afraid to touch or get too close to."

Seeing the self-doubt in her eyes Aaron placed his finger under her chin to lift her eyes to meet his gaze as he lowered his head to take possession of her mouth before demanding;

"Would you like to find out just how close I'd like to get to you, Jemma love?"

Seeing the flicker of desire in her husband's dark eyes, she couldn't help but ask coyly;

"You mean you want to get closer to me than what you are right now?"

At his nod, she looped her arms around his neck before pressing herself against him as she asked innocently;

"Is this what you meant by 'closer'?"

Feeling what little resolve he had left falling away as he gave way to his desire, Aaron swept her up into his arms before heading towards the staircase as he shook his head and observed;

"You know something, sweetheart? I have the feeling that it's safe to say that this baby won't be an only child."

In the aftermath of their lovemaking, Aaron laid on his side next to his wife as he held her in his arms when he came to a sudden realization. As had become his habit since the discovery of her condition, Aaron tended to fall asleep with his hand resting on Jemma's stomach, however, this particular night, he discovered a subtle difference. Noticing the way he had furrowed his brow in serious thought as she glanced up into his face, Jemma demanded;

"Aaron love, what's the matter?"

A sudden thought occurring to her, her voice sounded crestfallen as she pleaded;

"Please don't tell me that you're disappointed?"

Shaking his head vehemently, Aaron rushed to assure her;

"No, sweetheart, quite the contrary. No, it's nothing like that."

She could feel his hand moving across her stomach as she looked at him in concern;

"Then for heaven's sake, what is it, Aaron? You're beginning to worry me."

Understanding that she might not notice the subtle differences in her body that he did, Aaron pulled the bedclothes aside before taking her hand and placing it where his had been as he asked;

"Do you notice anything different?"

Although she had not noticed it until then, Jemma was able to feel what he had been talking about; normally, her stomach was completely flat even to the point of being concave, however, she could feel a subtle fullness that was making it slightly rounded. Her eyes widening in surprised amazement, he lifted her eyes to meet Aaron's as a smile found its way to her lips to match the one that her husband was now wearing as he pointed out;

"I know, I'm just as surprised as you are. I thought that the baby making their presence known would be a gradual thing, I never imagined that it would be something that would seem to happen overnight."

Pulling the covers over them once more as he pulled his wife closer to him, Aaron couldn't help the excitement he felt as he placed his hand over her stomach before laughing happily, something that found Jemma surprised as she demanded;

"Not that I mind you being happy but could I know the reason?"

Hugging her closer, Aaron explained;

"Because, love, we're going to have a baby."

Amused, Jemma reached up to touch Aaron's cheek as she reminded;

"Darling, as I recall, we established that fact before, remember?"

Shaking his head, Aaron tried to put his feelings into words;

"I know that we 'knew' we were going to have a baby before this, but now we 'know'. Sweetheart,"

Motioning towards her stomach, he clarified;

"This makes it tangible and real now, being able to feel our baby, even if we can't see him or her yet. Do you understand?"

Contemplating his explanation, Jemma nodded as she offered;

"I think so, it's like it was before we were married. We knew that we wanted to be and that we planned on being married but it seemed so distant, and then after we were it was so much different than what we knew before when we were waiting for it to become a fact."

Nodding, Aaron agreed;

"Exactly."

Placing a kiss on her forehead as he held her closer, Aaron couldn't help but state;

"You have no idea how much I love you, Jemma, or how happy you've made me."

Despite the happiness they felt at the moment, Jemma couldn't help but demand;

"Even facing what we are now?"

Placing his hand against her cheek, Aaron turned to look into her eyes as he admonished;

"No matter what we're facing. I happen to love you very much and that is something that will never change. We'll get past this, we'll find out what we need to and we'll solve the issue. Now..."

Settling her against him, he pushed her hair behind her shoulder as he held her tightly before issuing;

"You and our baby need your rest. So, let's get some sleep."

Even though he knew that she had remained awake for a little while longer, he also knew that she had finally given in and fallen asleep as her breathing deepened and became more even. Reaching over Aaron dimmed the bedside lamp as he made his mind up to the fact that whoever the culprit was that was wreaking so much havoc on their lives was, they were going to have be caught and dealt with; sooner as opposed to later. 


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

Blake couldn't help but notice Julie's agitation as they sat in Lottie's having lunch, glancing at her he demanded, somewhat sharply;

"Julie dear, what is bothering you? I mean, you've barely said a word, I have to tell you that you're making for a very poor companion."

Meeting his gaze, she offered an apologetic smile as she sought to assure him;

"I supposed I'm just a bit nervous about the party and the wedding."

His irritation was obvious as he stated wryly;

"Well, perhaps if you would stop pushing the party back as well as our wedding you would find that your anxieties and your 'nerves' would cease to give you problems."

Hearing the frustration in his voice, Julie offered softly;

"I'm sorry, Blake, it's just that I want to be certain that this is the right thing for both of us."

Lifting his coffee cup, Blake pointed out;

"I can't help but remember that, when you accepted my proposal, you were quite certain that we were doing the right thing. However, it seems that since we've come to Seattle, you're no longer certain as to that fact, does this happen to have anything to do with your brother?"

Julie shook her head as she denied;

"No, Blake, Aaron hasn't said anything about our marriage, one way or another."

Setting his cup back on the table, Blake cast a suspicious glance in her direction as he ventured;

"Perhaps there's someone that you met on your last visit, someone that you developed feelings for? Perhaps you thought there was nothing there until you saw them again?"

Shocked, Julie could only stare at him in disbelief as she tried to allay his suspicions, especially when she wasn't even certain if there was anything to be suspicious of. Placing her hand over his, she ventured;

"Blake, if I had thought there was someone that I had feelings for and that returned those same feelings then I wouldn't have agreed to marry you. I just want to make certain that everything is as perfect as it can be, that's all."

Finding a mutual ground for them to agree upon, he nodded as he ventured;

"So do I, Julie dear, so do I."

Candy stood at the filing cabinet, filing away the invoices and documents that Jemma had already processed, as she glanced covertly at her best friend from time to time. She couldn't help but feel concerned for her Jemma as she realized that the symptoms of her condition were becoming more intense. She knew from experience, having been present when her mother was expecting her brother and sister, Christopher and Molly, that no two pregnancies were alike, even if it was the same woman.

Noticing how she brought her hand up to cover her mouth as she closed her eyes, Candy, assuming the problem, poured her a cup of ginger tea that she had made earlier. Setting the cup on the desk in front of her, she knew by the look of gratitude in Jemma's eyes that she had guessed correctly as she took the cup up before offering;

"You know me too well, you know that, don't you, Candy?"

Taking a sip of the tea, she closed her eyes in relief as she felt the wave of nausea subside. Shaking her head as she opened her eyes, Jemma wondered;

"What would I do without you, Candy."

Deciding that she needed to stretch her legs, Jemma rose from her chair before crossing the room to look out the window as she continued sipping her tea. Candy couldn't help but shake her head in astonishment as she studied her best friend's appearance. Even though there was no denying the fact that she was suffering from the bothersome symptoms of her condition, Candy couldn't deny the glow that Jemma seemed to possess as the result of her condition. Even though she had spent nearly every day of the past week working with Jemma, it wasn't until that moment with Jemma standing, sideways, looking out the window sipping her tea that Candy realized the slight difference that had struck her before. Pointing, she blurted in excitement;

"Jemma, you're starting to show?"

Glancing down, as if shocked, Jemma's face took on a look of surprise as she exclaimed;  
"OH DEAR LORD, CANDY, YOU'RE RIGHT!"

Seeing the amusement in her eyes, Candy crossed her arms over her chest as she quipped;

"Very funny, Jemma Stempel."

Although it might have been at her expense, Candy was relieved to hear the sound of her friend's laughter, something that seemed rare lately. Before either could say anything more, Aaron walked in the office and, hearing his wife and Candy's laughter, demanded;

"What's so funny? Did I miss something?"

A strange look of amusement crossing their features at his inquiry, Candy wasn't surprised when Jemma ventured;

"Considering what we were just discussing, darling, obviously you didn't."

Aaron looked strangely from his wife to Candy as he placed his hands on his hips to demand;

"Alright, what's the joke?"

Motioning towards her stomach, Jemma explained;

"Candy just realized what you discovered a few days ago, love."

Unable to contain his happiness at the reminder of his wife's condition, Aaron placed his arm around Jemma's shoulders as he placed his free hand over her stomach before turning to Candy to admit;

"I know it's incredible, Candy, it just seems like one day nothing and the next I noticed it."

Motioning towards the wall clock, Aaron suggested;

"Would you ladies care for some lunch?"

Glancing pointedly at Jemma, he advised;

"You need to get something in your stomach anyway, so how about we go to Lottie's?"

Although she didn't think she was before, once he had mentioned lunch, Jemma found that she was, indeed, hungry. Nodding eagerly she admitted;

"You know something, I wasn't hungry until you mentioned it, but now I'm positively starving."

Turning to Candy as he motioned towards the door, Aaron advised;

"You heard the lady, Candy, let's go."

Lottie glanced up from pouring a beer as she heard the door open and couldn't help but smile brightly at the sight of Aaron, Jemma, and Candy. Handing her customer his beer, she hurried to greet;

"I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten to feed your wife, Aaron."

Studying the girl she considered to be a daughter, Lottie's eyes widened as her smile brightened just before she pointed out;

"Well, it seems as if someone wants to make sure that we're aware of their presence; doesn't it? When did you notice?"

Glancing towards her husband, Jemma offered a slight shake of her head as she admitted;

"I didn't, Aaron did. He had to point it out to me."

Lottie couldn't contain her laughter at the thought of the look on Aaron's face when he realized his wife's condition was becoming obvious. Placing her arm around Jemma's shoulders, she instructed;

"Come on, sweetie, let's get you settled and a good hot meal into you."

Half an hour later, after they had finished their meal, Lottie took a chair next to Jemma as Candy excused herself to go talk to Miss Essie regarding an issue with her brother Christopher. Given that the only other people in the saloon were seated nowhere close by, Lottie lowered her voice as she demanded;

"Is everything alright?"

Placing her hand over the older woman's Jemma advised;

"I know all about it, Lottie and yes, so far everything is alright."

Turning towards Aaron, Lottie surmised;

"I'm guessing that after what I heard happened with Windy..."

Finishing her statement, Aaron nodded;

"There was no way that I couldn't tell her, Lottie. To be honest, I should have done that from the start."

Nodding her understanding as she glanced about, she leaned in closer before advising;

"I haven't heard anything that could help us, but that doesn't mean I won't."

Seeing the worried look the older woman wore Jemma offered her a slight smile as she ordered;

"Come on, Lottie, don't look so glum. You know that I'm a lot tougher than I look."

Patting her hand, she couldn't help but quip;

"I've survived worse, you know that."

Offering a slight nod, Lottie returned the gesture as she admitted;

"I know, sweetie, I know."

Seeking to change the subject, Lottie clasped her hands together as she pointed out;

"Well, now that you're showing it's time for us to get started on making some baby clothes and blankets and what have you."

Jemma had to laugh as Aaron looked at Lottie in disbelief as he admonished;

"Lottie, you act as though I'm not going to make sure that this baby has everything he or she needs."

Chuckling, Lottie pointed out;

"No, Aaron, I'm quite sure that this baby will have more than what he or she needs considering it's your child, but that's not to say that Aunt Lottie and the rest of the girls can't do a little spoiling of our own. Besides, because almost NONE of us thought you would ever get married, let alone have a baby, you can't deny us the chance to spoil him or her, especially considering that Jemma's the mother."

Deciding that arguing with the woman would prove fruitless and not really wanting to, Aaron noticed the time as he conceded;

"Alright, Lottie, point taken."

Rising from his chair, he pulled his wife's back slightly before offering her his hand as he advised;

"I think we need to get back to the mill, sweetheart."

Reaching to the empty chair next to her, Lottie handed the couple a basket as she directed;

"I put a couple of ginger sodas in there for you, little miss. I also put some sugar cookies, which I know you like as well as some saltine crackers and some milk for the cookies. I expect you to drink every drop of that milk, it's good for you and for the baby."

Giggling slightly as she placed her hand over her stomach, Jemma pointed out;

"You realize that you're going to make me fat, don't you?"

Shaking her head, Lottie corrected;

"No, I'm going to make sure that baby is as chubby and healthy as it can possibly be."

Placing her hand on her shoulder she kissed her on her cheek before offering

in a soft whisper;

"You be careful and don't take any unnecessary risks."

Turning to Aaron, she ordered;

"You had better make sure she's taken care of, Aaron Stempel, or so help me, you'll have ME to answer to."

Placing a kiss on the woman's cheek, Aaron patted her arm as he promised;

"Lottie, you know good and well that I will."

Watching as the couple left, Lottie couldn't help but remember that, despite the initial opposition she knew they would have to face, she had been happy and relieved when she had realized how much love the two had for each other. Since she had met the man she had always known that if and when Aaron Stempel ever married, the one thing that could never be in doubt would be that his wife would be well cared for. Something Lottie was grateful for given that had turned out to be Jemma, even more so given how much love she knew Aaron and Jemma had for each other.

On there way back to the mill, Aaron couldn't help but notice how thoughtful and quite Jemma had become. Pulling her to a stop he demanded;

"Alright, Jemma love, what is it?"

Shaking her head, she explained;

"It's just that, well, between me starting to show and what Lottie and even you said about it being time to start getting baby things together. The baby just seems to be getting more and more real, not to mention the realization that we're bringing a life into this world, someone that we're responsible for. Do you realize that whoever or whatever this baby becomes it will be because of what we do or don't teach him or her."

Seeing the look of intensity in her eyes, any doubts as to just how seriously his wife was going to take her role as a mother had just been squelched. Placing his hand on her cheek he offered her a mischievous grin as he suggested;

"How about we give the gossips of Seattle something to talk about over supper tonight?"  
Puzzled, she demanded;

"I think we've managed to corner the market on giving the gossips fuel for their fires, don't you, honey? I mean before we were married, at least according to Maude and Helen, I was some sort of Jezebel, and I'm certain that they are going to be counting backward once the baby is born to make sure that our child was created within the bonds of our marriage, so exactly what more could we do that would shock anyone at this point?"

Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her against him as he offered;

"How about this?"

Lowering his head Aaron kissed his wife deeply, neither demanding or expecting anything from her, simply content to express his love for her. Lifting his head, he continued to hold Jemma close as she asked;

"Not that I'm complaining mind you, but just what was that for?"

Taking her hand in his as they set off on the trail towards the mill, he offered;

"How about, just because I happen to love you very much and, to be honest, although I never doubted it, you've just reassured me of just how wonderful a mother you're going to make"

Once they reached the mill and Aaron had settled Jemma in the office, after making certain that Candy had returned, Aaron returned to the mill, leaving the girls to their work. As she worked on the ledgers Jemma couldn't help but consider that, despite the seriousness of the situation that they were facing, she could only count herself as infinitely blessed in her life. She was married to the man she loved more than anything and who loved her just as much, not to mention, they were going to be parents in just a few months. She wasn't surprised when Candy glanced up from the invoices she was sorting to demand;

"Jemma, are you alright, you have a strange look on your face."

Leaning back in her chair for a moment, Jemma began tapping the pencil she was using on the desk as she asked;

"Candy, do you think that it's possible to be too happy?"

Shocked by her question, Candy could only stare at her for a moment before trying to clarify;

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean, Jemma."

Laying her arms across the desktop, Jemma explained;

"I guess what I mean is that, do you think that just maybe it's possible that if you have too much happiness in your life that there has to be some sadness to balance it out, to justify it?"

Candy sat silent for a moment as she considered Jemma's question. She wasn't sure why but she had gotten the feeling over the past couple of weeks or so that there was more going on with her best friend than just her condition, but whatever that something was, neither she nor Aaron were forthcoming with the information. Trying to fathom an adequate answer to Jemma's question, Candy finally offered;

"I don't necessarily think that there's a sin in being too happy, Jemma. As far as the sadness goes, I think that just maybe it's something that happens to make us appreciate the happiness all that much more, to remind us to never take it for granted."

Shrugging slightly, Candy expressed;

"I don't know if that's the answer that you were looking for, but I hope it helps."

Coming from behind the desk, Jemma hugged Candy as she nodded;

"Yes, it does, thank you, Candy."

Watching as her friend returned to the ledgers that she had been working on, Candy couldn't help but silently wonder what had prompted such a question, but she became determined that no matter the reason, she would make certain that she was there if and when she was needed.

Jason sat at his desk inside the logging camp tent, going over the maps of the mountain to determine where they would begin cutting next when he heard a vaguely familiar female voice request;

"Jason, could I come in?"

Recognizing the sound of Julie's voice, Jason invited;

"Yes, Julie, come on in."

Standing as she entered he motioned to the vacant chair across from his own as he offered;

"Please, sit down, could I get you something to drink?"  
Shaking her head as she settled herself into the chair, Julie declined;

"No, thank you anyway, Jason."

Once she had sat, Jason couldn't help but feel his heart pounding at the idea of just how close she was, especially when he caught the scent of roses, something he remembered from his time with her before. Swallowing the lump of nervousness down, Jason cleared his throat as he questioned;

"What can I do for you, Julie?"

Just as Jason was having to fight his nervousness at being so close to her, Julie was finding that she was having her own difficulty with the same issue at the moment. She had debated with herself before making the trek to the logging camp, but she knew, deep inside, that before she could commit her life to Blake Anderson, she needed to admit her feelings for Jason. Resigning herself to what she had come here to do she folded her hands primly on the top of the table as she took a deep, steadying breath before beginning;

"Jason, I need to talk to someone and I don't know who else to turn to."

Folding his arms on the tabletop, Jason leaned forward to question;

"Not that I mind talking to you, Julie, but what about speaking to your brother, or Jemma?"

He knew, even before she shook her head vehemently that the suggestion, he had made wasn't a suggestion that she felt she couldn't possibly consider. Any doubts that he might have had to the contrary were soon put to rest as she declared;

"No, I couldn't talk to Aaron about this and I think that Jemma has enough on her mind with the baby and everything. Jason, you're the only other person who I feel like I can talk to about this."

Sighing in resignation, knowing that he couldn't refuse her, Jason nodded;

"Alright, Julie, go ahead, what's the matter?"

Jason couldn't help but feel his heart lurch at the look of sadness that came to her face as she confided;

"It's about Blake."

Puzzled, Jason demanded;

"Your fiancee?"

Nodding, she continued;

"Yes, that's the problem, Jason. I don't think I can go through with marrying him, but I don't know what to do. I don't know how to tell him."

Jason couldn't help but stare at her in disbelief as he asked her in incredulity;

"Julie, are you saying that you don't love this man?"

He could see the guilt in her eyes as she slowly shook her head before he demanded;

"Then why in heaven's name did you agree to marry him?"

Sighing in frustration, Julie explained;

"When I met him, Jason, I thought that he was very exciting. He was so debonair, intelligent and sophisticated and I thought that I was in love with him, at least enough so that accepting his marriage proposal seemed like the right thing to do."

Jason couldn't help but shrug his shoulders as he asked gently;

"So what's changed, Julie? I mean what is it that has changed between here and San Francisco that's changed your mind about marrying him?"

Although she knew that doing so was opening her up to possible ridicule, Julie confided;

"When I met Blake, I had been trying to forget someone and he seemed to make me do just that. Whenever I was with him, I never thought about the other man, I believed it was because I must have been falling in love with him, so when he proposed it just seemed to make sense to accept him."

Leaning back in his chair as he crossed his arms over his chest, Jason reminded her;

"You still haven't answered my question, Julie; what's happened between here and San Francisco that's changed your mind?"

Holding her hands folded in her lap, Julie lifted her eyes to meet Jason's as she confessed;

"Jason, the man that I was trying to forget was you."

Unsure of what to say, Jason could only stare at her in shock until she quickly rose from her chair to turn her back to him. Seeing the slight shaking of her shoulders as she began crying from, what he assumed was, embarrassment, Jason rose from his chair to come to stand behind her as he placed his hands on her shoulders as he asked softly;

"Julie?"

Understanding her reluctance

to face him, Jason turned her towards him as he placed his finger under her chin to lift her eyes to meet his as he offered her a tender smile before asking;

"Julie, look at me. Are you telling me that, after all of this time, you have feelings for me?"

Offering a slight nod as her answer, Julie admitted;

"Yes, when I went back to San Francisco I found that I couldn't stop myself from thinking of you, but I didn't believe that you felt the same. You even said that Seattle and San Francisco didn't mix."

Shaking his head, wishing he could kick himself for his own words, Jason gave in to temptation as he pulled her close in an embrace before confessing;

"We were both wrong Julie; you for not believing that I felt the same for you as you do for me and me for thinking that Seattle and San Francisco don't mix. I think that, when we put on that little act to trick Aaron into giving you your share of the inheritance and to buy you out of the mill, we ended up tricking ourselves into falling in love with each other, but neither of us wanted to admit it."

Julie stood still for a moment as his statement registered in her mind before pulling away slightly, her voice full of amazement as she demanded;

"Jason, did you just say that you're in love with me?"

Nodding, Jason confirmed;

"Yes, I did. And, unless I'm mistaken, you're in love with me too, or am I wrong?"

Shaking her head, she confessed;

"No, you're not wrong, I am."

Julie couldn't help but smile in happiness until she remembered the original purpose of her visit. Frowning slightly she demanded;

"But what are we going to do; I mean what am I going to do about Blake?"

Shaking his head, Jason issued decisively;

"Well, I'll tell you what you're not going to do, you're not going to marry him."

Despite knowing that was for the best, Julie couldn't help the sadness that shadowed her bright blue eyes as she nodded;

"I'll have to give him my reasons, he deserves that much at least."

Making his decision, Jason observed;

"Although it's not nearly as grand as the gesture that my sister received from your brother,"

Falling to one knee, Jason took her hand as he pleaded;

"Julie Stempel, would you marry me?"

Julie's eyes widened in astonishment, as did Jeremy and Josh's as they chose that moment to enter the tent. Despite his confession of love for her, Julie had not expected such an immediate proposal, so to that end, she demanded;

"Jason, are you sure; I mean, is this what you REALLY want?"

Nodding, Jason explained;

"Yes, Julie, the only thing that I've thought about since you left Seattle and even when you returned was just how big of a fool I was for letting you go back to San Francisco. I love you and I want to marry you."

Considering his statement for a moment, Julie couldn't help the smile that lit her face as she finally agreed;

"Yes, Jason, I'll marry you."

Rising to his feet, Jason wrapped his arms around her waist to lift her as he kissed her deeply before turning to address his brothers;

"Josh, Jeremy, you know your future sister in law I believe."

Neither could prevent the grins of happiness they felt for their brother from finding its way to their mouths as Josh quipped;

"Welcome to the family, Julie."

Addressing both, Jeremy demanded;

"Not that we're not happy for you both, but shouldn't someone let Blake know that there's been a slight change in plans?"

Although she felt a pang of guilt, Julie couldn't help but point out;

"I'll let him know, Jeremy, it's only right."

Feeling a slight shudder go through her as he continued to hold her, the look on Jason's face turned to one of concern as he demanded;

"Darling, are you alright, why did you shiver like that?"

Offering a chagrined look of apology, Julie confessed;

"It's really nothing, it's just that I realized how happy I am at the thought that I'll never have to hear him tell me any more of his boring stories about the studies he made when he went to Russia. How one man can find so much interest in such loathsome creatures I'll never understand."

Puzzled, Josh asked;

"What do you mean, Julie? What creatures are you talking about?"

Shaking her head in astonishment that she had not mentioned it beforehand, Julie apologized;

"I'm sorry, Josh, I thought that I had mentioned it before, but I guess since I don't care for the subject I didn't want to bore anyone else with it. But Blake has this fascination with reptiles, especially snakes, to be honest, you'd be surprised by what he knows about them, especially their habits and so forth. I'm just relieved that I won't have to hear any more about them."

The three brothers turned to each other, each wearing a look of panic as Jason ordered;

"Josh, you and Jeremy come with us to the mill."

Taking Julie's hand in his he advised;

"I'm afraid that there are a few things we need to talk to Aaron about, Julie. Let's go."

Aaron was in the warehouse, going over the latest counts for the inventory when Jason and Julie rushed in. Noticing how Jason was holding onto Julie's hand tightly, he demanded in a sharp tone;

"Jason, Julie would you two mind telling me what's going on and why you two are together?"

Shaking his head, Jason ordered;

"First things, first, Aaron. Where's Jemma?"

Motioning towards the direction of the office, he offered;

"She's in the office with Candy, why?"

Before Jason could explain, Jeremy, Josh, and Candy came running into the warehouse as Josh advised;

"She's not in the office, Jason."

Turning to Candy, Aaron demanded;

"Candy, she didn't go home, did she?"

Shaking her head, Candy explained;

"No, she's with Blake."

Confused, Aaron couldn't help but demand;

"Blake? Why in the hell would she be with Blake?"

Twisting her hands in nervousness, seeing that there was a serious problem, Candy continued;

"Well, he came by and he said something about wanting Jemma's opinion about some land that he wanted to surprise Julie with. He said that he thought she would be the best one to accompany him and give her opinion."

Seeing the panic that his brothers in law wore, Aaron pointed out;

"Well, no offense Julie, not that I'm thrilled she's accompanying him, but given that it's something for my sister, what's the harm in her going with Anderson?"

Having put the pieces to the puzzle in place when Julie made her revelation about Blake's strange hobby, Jason demanded;

"Aaron, tell me something, I know that, if something were to happen to you, Jemma inherits everything, right?"

At his silent nod, he continued;

"But what if something were to happen to Jemma and then something happened to you, who benefits then?"

Motioning towards his sister, Aaron admitted;

"Well, if I wasn't married and I didn't have any children, everything would go to Julie. But that's irrelevant, Jason, I am married and we have a baby on the way."

Nodding, Jason concurred;

"Yes, but what if something fatal were to happen to Jemma and your child?"

Seeing the light of comprehension in his brother in law's eyes, Jason pressed his point home as he told Aaron of Blake's hobby;

"Aaron, according to Julie, Blake has a rather strange interest; it seems that he has studied reptiles, particularly snakes and is very familiar with them, including how to handle dangerous ones."

Aaron's eyes widened in panic as he tossed the notebook and pencil to the floor of the warehouse before issuing;

"Let's go." 


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

Lottie hurriedly unlocked the door to Blake Anderson's room with her passkey as Aaron rushed past her to begin a frantic search of the area, quickly followed by Jason, Joshua, and Jeremy as Candy and Julie stood with Lottie by the doorway. Turning to the two younger women, Lottie demanded;

"Would one of you please tell me what's going on and why it was so important that I let you in Mr. Anderson's room?"

Sparing a quick glance over his shoulder, Aaron issued gruffly;

"Because we know that he's the one behind what's been going on with Jemma and, right now, he happens to have my wife."

Seeing the panicked look on her face, Josh took a moment to approach Lottie as he placed his hand over hers to explain;

"Lottie, we're trying to find some kind of clue as to where he might have taken her."

Shocked, Lottie exclaimed;

"But why? I mean, what does he have to gain by hurting that girl?"

Julie couldn't help the tears of guilt that sprang from her eyes as she confessed;

"It's my fault, Lottie. I never should have agreed to marry him in the first place, but, well Jason and Aaron seem to think and everything points that way, that the reason he wanted to marry me in the first place is because of what he stood to gain financially."

Her confusion evident in the look she wore, Lottie shook her head as she pointed out;

"But what would he gain, Julie? I mean if something were to happen to Jemma the only thing that happens is that whatever she has either goes to the baby or her brothers and Aaron."

Shaking his head, Jeremy pointed out;

"It's not about what Jemma has, Lottie, it's about what Aaron has. If something were to happen to Aaron, everything goes to Pixie and their baby, but if something were to happen to Jemma and then to Aaron, Julie gets everything except what Jemma has on her own."

The pieces falling into place, Lottie's eyes widened;

"He agreed to come here because he had planned on killing Aaron so that when he married you, you would own Aaron's estate."

Nodding, Julie confessed;

"I didn't think about it at the time, but thinking back on it, he kept asking me if I was sure that there was no serious romance between Aaron and anybody that might result in him marrying. When we found out that Aaron and Jemma had gotten married, he seemed frustrated, even more so when he found out that Jemma was expecting a baby."

Before any more could be said, Jason exclaimed;

"Aaron, Josh, Jeremy, look at this!"

His arms full, Jason turned from the wardrobe and dumped the load he was carrying, which included documents and maps, onto the bed as he swept his arm over the space to indicate his find;

"Look! Maps and,"

Taking one of the documents in hand, he opened it and scanned its contents carefully before motioning to Aaron as he handed the document to his brother in law. Aaron took the paper in hand and gave it a quick read before lifting his eyes to meet Jason's, suspicion flooding their dark depths. Motioning towards Julie, Jason asked;

"Julie, look at this."

Crossing the space, she took the paper and began reading it. As Jason suspected, her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked between her brother and Jason to state emphatically;

"Aaron, Jason, I've never seen this will before in my life."

Pointing to the bottom of the paper she vowed;

"And I know that I never signed this. I don't understand this, Blake and I never even discussed something like this, so why?"

Snatching the paper from his sister's hand in aggravation, Aaron couldn't contain his anger as he scowled before flinging the paper on the bed before growling;

"Isn't it obvious, Julie? Anderson has decided that he wants what the Stempels have worked for, for the last three generations, and he's willing to eliminate all of the Stempels to get it; present and future generations."

Motioning to the maps, he ordered;

"Right now I don't care why I just care that he has my wife. There has to be some kind of clue as to where he might have taken her in these maps."

Turning to Candy, he demanded;

"Candy, did he say anything or mention anywhere specific that you can think of?"

Candy bit at her thumbnail as she furrowed her brow in concentration before shaking her head;

"Aaron, I just don't know, I can't really remember anything specific."

Frustrated, Aaron crossed the space to grab her by her shoulders as he ordered gruffly;

"Think, Candy, think. Did he say ANYTHING at all, ANYTHING that might help us find Jemma?"

Seeing her rising panic, Jeremy rushed to his fiancee's side as he stepped between her and his brother in law to try and ease the tension;

"Aaron, scaring her to death isn't going to help the situation or help us find Pixie any faster. We all want to find her but losing our heads won't accomplish that."

The look in his eyes reflecting his regret, Aaron offered;

"I'm sorry, Candy, you know that I didn't mean to scare you."

Nodding, she acknowledged;

"I know, Aaron, you're just worried about Jemma."

Turning to Julie, Candy prompted;

"Julie, what about those sightseeing trips that you and Blake went on; do you have any ideas or can you think of anything that might help?"

Julie narrowed her eyes as she concentrated as she recalled their expeditions, suddenly her eyes widened as she remembered;

"There was one place I specifically remember because of the nest he found there."

Puzzled, Jason demanded;

"Julie, what do you mean by 'nest'?"

Noticing the slight shiver of revulsion, Aaron found his heart drop as Julie explained;

"It was a nest of snakes, rattlesnakes to be exact. I remember being frightened because I could hear them, they were in some sort of a gap in the rock, they couldn't get out but still just the idea of them. I mean one wrong step, not to mention the rock cliffs and losing your life would be almost certain."

The iron set of his jaw confirmed Josh's concern for his sister as he addressed Julie;

"Julie, can you give us an idea as to EXACTLY where you're talking about?"

Forlornly, Julie shook her head as she admitted;

"I don't think so, Josh. I can tell you what I remember of the area but I couldn't find it."

Motioning to the bed, she explained;

"Whenever we would go on those excursions, Blake would always have places that he had scouted out, he said that he had scouted them out on his maps."

Despite her instincts, Julie couldn't help but demand, in the hopes that she had not made such a horrible mistake;

"I know how all of this looks but what makes you so sure that Blake is the one behind the things that have been going on with Jemma?"

Although he had spun on his sister in anger, before Aaron could address her inquiry, Josh noticed something sticking out from under the bed. Snatching it free he held it out for everyone's inspection as Jeremy looked at the sack in curiosity;

"What in the world is that, Josh?'

Shaking his head, Josh offered;

"It's some kind of sack, Jeremy, but it's not like any that I've ever seen. I mean the material, it's like it's much heavier than regular canvas."

Julie swallowed hard as the last hope that she had not brought a means of destruction into the lives of those she cared about to Seattle disappeared. Nodding, she explained;

"It is a sack, Joshua, and you're right, the material IS heavier. That's a special sack that Blake got the idea for when he was in Russia, he said the reason the material is like it is, is because it's used to hold snakes and that material stops the possibility of the snake trying to bite someone through the bag."

Taking the bag from his brother's grasp, Jason held it up for Aaron's inspection as he asked;

"Aaron, does this seem familiar to you?"

Glancing between Aaron and Jason, Julie demanded, her concern evident in her voice;

"What do you mean, 'familiar?"

Snatching the bag from Jason's grasp, Aaron held it up for his sister's inspection as he explained in frustration;

"What he means, Julie is that a few days ago a rattler that had no business being there, showed up in the office at the mill. It just so happens that it was when Jemma was in the office by herself. Luckily, Jason and I walked in when we did and were able to distract the damn thing to get it away from her, otherwise, it would have killed my wife and our unborn child. We found a sack EXACTLY like this one that wasn't there before. THAT'S how we can be so sure, not to mention the forged will that we just found."

Noticing some strange markings on the map in front of them, Josh pointed out;

"Look, he's got a couple of different places marked here."

Gathering around the map, Aaron considered;

"Both would be ideal for what he has in mind."

Shaking his head, Aaron turned to his brothers in law a look of frustrated helplessness on his face as he advised;

"And if he gets her up there she doesn't stand a chance on her own, especially not now."

The scowl on his face betraying his concern, Jason demanded;

"What do you mean by, 'especially not now', Aaron?"

Lottie and Candy turned to each other in realization as both women's eyes widened with the implication of Aaron's statement as Lottie speculated;

"I think what he means, Jason, is because Jemma has started showing, her chances of getting away from him might not be all that great since that would slow her down."

Nodding, Aaron confirmed;

"That's EXACTLY what I mean."

Turning back to the map, Jason pointed to the two main areas circled to suggest;

"Alright, we know that these two will suit his obvious intentions, that being the case; Aaron, you and I will take this section of the rock cliffs."

Turning to his two brothers, he ordered;

"Josh, Jeremy, you two take this area."

Turning to Lottie, Aaron begged;

"Lottie, can you, Candy, and Julie find Dr. Wright and wait at our house? Just in case we need her."

Turning to his brothers in law, Aaron pointed out;

"Since he would have had to use a buggy that means he has to go the long way but he still has a head start on us and we need to close that gap as fast as possible. I'll meet your three outside in a few minutes, I just need enough time to saddle my horse and get my gun."

Watching as he hurried out of the room, Jason turned to direct;

"You heard him, brothers, let's go."

Letting everyone else except for Julie precede him out of the room, Jason lingered a moment as, seeing the guilt-ridden look on her face, he offered;

"This isn't your fault, Julie. You had no way of knowing that this would happen, there's no one with any decency in their soul could have conceived of this."

Shaking her head, Julie couldn't help the tears that began sliding down her face as she lifted her eyes to meet his as she stated forlornly;

"Yes, it is my fault, Jason. I was so determined to forget you, rather than face up to how I felt, that I agreed to marry this monster and, worse yet, I brought him here when his intentions weren't for marriage but for murder. If something happens to Jemma and that baby, it will be all my fault."

Placing a kiss on her forehead, he promised;

"We're not going to let that happen, Julie."

Watching as he hurried down the staircase and out the door, Julie crossed her arms over her middle as if seeking some type of comfort before wishing aloud;

"I certainly hope not, Jason, I certainly hope not."

Despite her misgivings when Blake had entered the mill office and pleaded his case that he needed Jemma's opinion regarding some possible land that he was hoping to buy in anticipation of building a house for he and Julie as a wedding surprise, not to mention stating that he was wanting a woman's opinion in the matter, she had agreed to go with him to look at the prospective site. She didn't think that Aaron would raise any objection, seeing as how she would not be left alone and, even though she wasn't comfortable with the man, she felt that she would be safe enough with her future brother in law, even if she wished that wasn't going to be the case for Julie and Jason's sake.

Noticing her obvious uneasiness and seeking to offer her some type of comfort, Blake reached under the seat of the buggy and produced a bottle of ginger soda pop as he offered;

"Miss Jemma, I truly appreciate you accompanying me to look at this spot. I can't tell you just how important it is to me that you see this particular parcel."

Handing her the bottle, he ventured;

"I understand that this sometimes helps to ease some of the symptoms of your condition, which,"

Glancing pointedly at her stomach, he pointed out;

"Seems to be a bit more noticeable these days, something that I'm sure isn't disappointing to your husband at all."

Given that the motion of the buggy was aggravating her nausea at the moment, Jemma gratefully accepted the soda before agreeing with his statement;

"No, if anything, Aaron's very happy about the fact that the baby is making his or her presence known, according to him, it's a Stempel trait."

Emitting a slight chuckle as he tried to keep the mood between them jovial, at least for the moment, he ventured;

"I can certainly understand that."

Motioning towards the bottle, he mentioned in a casual tone;

"I hope that you enjoy the soda. I heard Miss Lottie mention that she had purchased it from a different supplier."

As he had hoped, she opened the bottle and took a long drink from it before offering;

"Other than a slightly off taste, I really can't tell a difference between this and what Lottie usually gets."

Blake couldn't help but feel satisfaction as he noticed that she kept sipping from the bottle until it was almost empty. Seeing the area he had in mind, he motioned to the area just ahead as he informed her;

"That's the spot that I had in mind for you to look at, Miss Jemma."

Trying to focus on the area that he was referring to, Jemma found that she was having difficulty at the moment given the lightheadedness that she was beginning to experience. When Blake brought the buggy to a halt at the edge of where the rock ground at the top of the cliffs began, she found herself confused. Glancing about, the puzzlement evident on her face as Blake lifted her down from the buggy, she couldn't help but ponder aloud;

"Blake, do you really think that it would be possible to build a house up here? I mean the terrain alone..."

Taking her arm, he placed a convincing smile on his face as he made a sweeping gesture with his hand as he offered;

"Oh, this part isn't what I wanted to get your opinion on, Jemma. What I wanted you to see if just through those bushes there."

Although she wasn't comfortable with him touching her, Jemma allowed him to hold her elbow as he led her through the shrubbery, especially since she couldn't seem to manage the sudden attack of dizziness that she was beginning to experience. Something that she couldn't understand given that she had made certain to eat and that she hadn't experienced any warning signs before that moment. Once they were on the rock surface of the top of the cliff, Jemma's confusion increased as she glanced around, wondering how on earth the man thought he was going to manage to build any type of suitable house for he and Julie at the top of the cliff, especially given the rocky terrain.

Motioning to an area off to the side that looked as if it was indented, Blake held her elbow as he ventured;

"I thought that this particular feature was something extremely unique, so much so that I wanted to make certain that I showed it to you."

As they got closer to the area that he indicated, Jemma could see that it was a pit in the rock of the ground, possibly one that led to a cave at the bottom of the cliffs, but that wasn't the only thing to catch her attention as they neared the pit. Jemma heard the all too familiar sound of rattling, not like it had been that day in the office at the mill, the only difference was that this was much louder, something that told her that the pit held a multitude of occupants, something that was confirmed as she could see over the edge of the hole. Having been raised in Seattle, Jemma knew that poisonous snakes were a rarity, but ones such as these were a very real danger in terrain such as this and given the mass that she glimpsed from the edge of the pit, she knew that falling into that pit would be an instant death sentence, especially given the fact that they were all intertwined. Even though it was hard to know where one snake began and another ended, the idea that there might well be a population of the creatures numbering at over a hundred might well have been an underestimated guess.

Jemma snatched her elbow out of Blake's grasp, something that found her fighting hard to maintain her steadiness as the motion threw her slightly off balance. Shaking her head a bit in an attempt to clear the dizzy lightheadedness that she felt, Jemma regained her balance as she backed away from the pit, knowing that in her unsteady state the possibility of a wrong step was a very real danger and one that would see her and her unborn child's life come to an abrupt end. Jemma suddenly realized just who had been responsible for what had taken place at the mill office and with Windy. Despite the fatal consequences that her current situation held, she couldn't seem to grasp a solid thought that might help her formulate a plan that might help her out of her current predicament. Although it took her a minute to realize it, Jemma finally understood how she had come to find herself suffering the symptoms she was now suffering as her eyes widened before she turned to accuse;

"Oh Dear Lord, the soda!"

Nodding as his face broke out in a malicious smile he admitted;

"You're right my dear, I added a little something to your ginger soda and unless I miss my guess, right about now you're not just fighting dizziness but you're also fighting a very strong case of drowsiness as well. Considering that I doubled the dose I'm really quite impressed that you're still standing."

Her concern lending her strength of purpose, Jemma demanded;

"What did you put in that soda?"

Jemma couldn't help the chills that went up her spine as he emitted a humorless laugh;

"Paregoric, dear Jemma."

Panicked, she accused;

"You have to be insane, that has morphine in it, didn't you even think about what that might do to my baby?"

Shaking his head as he began to slowly approach her, Blake advised;

"I can assure you that won't matter since you won't be leaving this cliff, at least not alive."

Cold fear gripping her heart, she begged;

"Why, why are you doing this? I've done nothing to you and my child is most assuredly innocent."

Nodding, Blake offered;

"Oh I can't deny that your child is innocent, however, you have brought this upon yourself."

Fighting to try and remain conscious, knowing that if she gave in to the overwhelming urge she had to close her eyes she might as well sign her and her child's death warrant, Jemma pleaded;

"How could I have done that? I've never set eyes on you until you came to Seattle, what could I have possibly done to you?"

Motioning to her left hand, Blake pointed out;

"You married Aaron."

Deciding to gloat over his own brilliance, he asked in a sympathetic tone of voice;

"Poor Jemma, you still don't understand, do you?"

At the slight shake of her head, Blake continued;

"You see, when I proposed to Julie, I knew of her inheritance. I had done some checking and I had also learned of the assets that her brother, your husband, possessed as well. However, the one factor that I didn't count on was you; Julie had not known that her brother had married, let alone had a child on the way."

Despite the haze of the drug that

he had given her, Jemma was able to comprehend the rest of his plan as she considered aloud;

"Oh my God! You planned on killing Aaron so that Julie would inherit his assets and then you were going to kill Julie so that you would inherit everything."

Nodding, impressed with her quick wit, despite being under the influence of the Paregoric, he boasted;

"Very good, Jemma! And as it happens, quite accurate, although you proved the sticking point of my plan. Given your husband's obvious adoration of you, I had no doubts as to just who would benefit financially from your husband's death, however, with you no longer in the picture my plan can proceed along as smoothly as before."

Trying to bide for time, she demanded;

"So what now? How do you plan on explaining all of this?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Blake outlined;

"It's quite simple really. You, Mrs. Stempel, are about to meet with a very unfortunate accident that will result in the loss of your and your unborn child's life. And, given that everyone knows of just how devoted your husband is to you and how happy he was to learn of his impending fatherhood, would it really be that surprising if he were to take his own life out of heartbreak over the death of his wife and the loss of his child?"

Shaking her head, Jemma struggled against the weakness that she was feeling, determined that the monster masquerading as a man in front of her wasn't going to find success in his heinous plans. Drawing on her anger at the man's audacity to assume that he was going to end, not just her life but, the life of her husband and their unborn child as well, Jemma used what strength she had to rush at him, something that shocked him, especially when she screamed;

"I'LL BE DAMNED! I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU DESTROY MY FAMILY!"

Even though he was caught by surprise, he was still easily able to overcome her attack as he held both of her small wrists in one of his much larger hands as he jerked her close before laughing tauntingly in her face as he sneered;

"Really Jemma, I was led to believe that you are much tougher than most women. I have to say, other than resiliency, stubbornness, and, admittedly, uncommon beauty, I haven't seen anything THAT remarkable."

She knew, judging by the look in his eyes, that there was no reasoning with the man, especially one as mad as Blake Anderson was proving to be. However, just as Blake was determined in his greed, Jemma was determined in her love for her husband and unborn child, so to that end Blake soon found himself receiving a surprising blow that debilitated him in only a way such a blow could, forcing him to release his grip on Jemma's wrists as well as falling to his knees in pain. Facing her opponent with a look fueled with hatred, Jemma advised;

"NEVER underestimate a woman raised in a lumber camp with three older brothers and a knowledge of anatomy."

Jemma tried to turn and make her getaway when she felt his hand snatch her ankle and jerk it backward. Fear for what could happen if she were to land on her stomach on the sharp edges of the rocks beneath her found Jemma managing to turn so that she would land on her side rather than on her stomach. Before she could try to get up from the hard ground, Blake had risen, his fury at her assault evident in the mask of anger he wore as well as the fire that seemed to make his eyes glow unnaturally, snatching her wrist to jerk her to her feet, something that found Jemma suffering even more from the effects of the drug she had been given as her vision seemed to be spinning from the dizziness she felt.

To say that Blake had been surprised by her attack would have been an understatement, especially considering that he had given her twice the prescribed amount of Paregoric to ensure that she wouldn't be able to defend herself. However, he had not counted on her determination to keep him from accomplishing his goal once she learned of his plans for her family. Fury burning through him at the audacity she had possessed to defy him, once he was able to recover somewhat from the painful blow that she had dealt him and seeing that she was trying to escape, Blake had seized the opportunity to knock her off balance before descending upon her. Jerking her to her feet, something that he found somewhat rewarding as he noted that she was so off-balance that she would have fallen to the ground had he not held her up. Nodding in satisfaction as he noticed how much difficulty she was having with the effort to keep her eyes open, Blake found himself laughing at her dilemma as he sneered;

"I'll give you credit for your tenacity, Jemma and your determination, but that's all I'll be giving you. Not to mention, despite how valiantly you've been trying to fight the effects of the Paregoric that I gave you, I can see that you're losing that fight. Although I confess my admiration for your stubborn nature since I put, at least, twice the prescribed amount in your drink."

Knowing the truth of his statement as she struggled against closing her eyes, Jemma pleaded;

"Blake, you can't do this. There's no amount of money in the world that's worth someone's life, especially not the life of an innocent child. If money is what you want then I'll pay you NOT to do this."

Shaking his head, Blake demanded;

"Why on earth would I settle for a portion when I can have everything, especially once you're dead."

Using the last bit of strength that she felt she possessed, Jemma struck out to catch him across the jaw with a left hook, however, in her weakened state her impact of the blow was considerably less than what she had hoped for, despite the immediate bruise that began on the spot where her fist had made contact, as well as the scratch he now wore thanks to the cut he received from her wedding rings. Even though she had not thought that her blow would help in her escape, knowing what his plans were for her, Aaron and their child, Jemma couldn't just sit still and let him have his way, in her mind, any action at this point was better than no action at all just for the sake of hope. Seeing the fury in his eyes at, what she assumed was, the gall that she had possessed to strike him, she was certain that she was about to experience physical abuse at his hands, especially when he jerked her closer before issuing in a dangerous tone;

"Don't think that, just because I want your death to appear accidental, I wouldn't be opposed to teaching you a lesson, Jemma. Your death can either be swift and merciful or long and painful and let me assure you, any damage that I decide to inflict on that pretty face of yours can more than be explained away if I go the long and painful route."

Even through the fogginess that seemed to be seeping through her brain at the moment, having learned just how evil the man was, Jemma understood his meaning as she turned to glance in the direction of the rock pit. Blake could see, even in her increasing stupor, the fear and horror that was reflected in her eyes as she had looked in the direction of the pit. Nodding, he confirmed her theory;

"That's right, they may well not be able to escape that pit, but let me assure you, my dear, neither will you. I'm quite certain that, before you can even reach an arm up, you'll have received enough bites to guarantee your death. Can you imagine how it would feel to have countless sets of fangs puncturing your flesh, over and over again, all over your body?"

Seeing the sheer terror reflected in her eyes, Blake felt an exhilarated satisfaction at the thought that he held such power over the woman that he had come to consider a nuisance to his plans, not to mention the resentment that he felt towards both she and her husband for, what he considered, their interference in his plans. Under normal circumstances he would have found her attractive and sought to pursue her, despite her marital status, however, his greed overwrote any attraction that he felt towards her, something that sparked his fury even more at the thought of being denied something he felt he deserved.

Making up his mind to extract a last bit of revenge from Jemma and what he planned to taunt Aaron with when the time came to end his life, Blake pushed Jemma to the ground, near enough to the pit that the rattling sound would spark fear in her as he declared;

"Even though you won't be on this earth much longer, my dear, and despite your condition, I see no earthly reason why I can't find out just what it is about you that makes such a stoic and somber man as Aaron Stempel such a devoted and loving husband, not to mention what makes you so 'remarkable'."

Although the only thing that was keeping her from giving in to the drowsiness and lethargy that she was suffering at the moment was her determination and the rush of adrenaline from her fear, Jemma had enough presence of mind to fully comprehend the man's meaning. Fear at his intentions spurring her actions, she began kicking and punching at him frantically until he pinned her to the ground by throwing a leg across hers to cease her thrashing and held her wrists in a grip of iron above her head to prevent her from lashing out with her fists. Looming above her, he could see the hatred mixed with fear in her eyes as she narrowed her gaze before cursing him loudly;

"If I had any doubts before about it, I'm certain of it now, you're going to burn in Hell for this."

Laughing viciously, Blake shook his head as he declared;

"Perhaps so, however, it won't be before I become a much wealthier and satisfied man."

Seeing his intention as he lowered his head, Jemma turned her head from side to side to avoid his searching mouth, something that angered him into foolish action as he released her wrists to place his hands on either side of her face to hold her head still as he demanded angrily;

"HOLD STILL! You might as well accept it, either way, this is going to happen, it's just a choice of whether it's before you fall off this cliff or into the pit."

Tears of anger streaming down her face as her chest heaved in anger, Jemma seethed;

"Better those snakes than you, at least they don't try to hide what they REALLY are."

Jemma saw the determination in his eyes as he lowered his head once more just before savagely claiming her mouth. Although her reflexes were severely impaired, that didn't prevent her from bringing her hands up to the sides of Blake's face as she hooked her fingers into claws just before digging them into his flesh as she raked her fingers down the man's face. Surprised by the attack, Blake yowled in pain as he lifted his head before she struck out with a fist to catch him in his mouth as she began screaming;

"GET OFF OF ME YOU MURDEROUS BASTARD!"

Jemma knew, even before it happened, that Blake was not going to let her attack go, so it came as no surprise when she felt a sharp, open-handed blow against the side of her face, something that increased the spinning effect the dizziness was having on her vision. Having kept her eyes closed to escape the horror of seeing the man's intentions, Jemma was shocked as she opened them to see the damage that she had managed to inflict by the blood pouring from Blake's mouth as well as the matching deep gouges on either side of his face. However, the surprise that she felt at the sight of the injuries that she had inflicted on her attacker was nothing compared to the shock she felt at the sight of the man being tackled and knocked off of her.

Despite the pain and dizziness, she turned her head to the side and found herself praying that hallucinations weren't one of the side effects of the drug that Blake had given her, especially given that the flash she had seen tackle her tormentor had been her husband. Even though she couldn't deny the relief that she felt at the realization that Aaron had found her, her fear for her husband was even greater, especially given the knowledge that she had of Blake's plans where she, Aaron, and Julie were concerned. Jemma tried to get to her feet, but it was quickly apparent that she was losing the fight between her determination and the effects of the Paregoric that Blake had given her, the proof of which became evident as she fell back to the ground, unable to stop herself from blacking out. 


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

Frustrated, Aaron found himself swearing;

"Damn!"

Motioning towards the path, he pointed out to Jason;

"I forgot that the path splits to allow access to the bottom and the top."

Turning to his brother in law, he speculated;

"He could have gone either way, if he gets her to the top he can carry out what he's planning, but he could also do the same thing at the bottom, between the rocks and the caves."

Trying to remain calm, Jason reasoned;

"The path to the bottom circles around to the top, I'll go to the bottom and if I don't find anything I'll follow it back up to the top and you do the same thing from the top if you don't find anything."

Nodding, his agreement, Aaron set his horse in motion as hurried up the path as Jason did the same in his appointed direction. Noticing that the terrain was giving way to the rocks, Aaron knew that he was closing in on the top of the cliff when he heard the sound of a horse nearby. Following the direction of the noise, he soon found where Blake had left the horse and buggy. Quickly, he dismounted and secured his horse as he tried to gauge the best possible direction to follow, a mystery that he found solved as he heard the sound that was that of a man howling in pain quickly followed by the sound of his wife's scream. Fear giving him speed, Aaron hurried through the bushes and shrubs in time to see Blake Anderson strike Jemma hard across the face, something that found his vision turning blood red as he hurled himself at the man to tackle him and get him away from his wife.

He knew that he had caught Blake by obvious surprise and, despite the dangerous situation, Aaron couldn't fail to notice the damage that Jemma had managed to inflict on her attacker. Although he realized that Blake had no way of knowing that his plot had been discovered by anyone other than Jemma at this point, he couldn't believe that the man had the nerve to try and offer placation as he backed away from Aaron slightly before pleading;

"Aaron, this isn't what it looks like, it's not what you're thinking, I promise. I simply wanted Jemma's opinion on some land for Julie and she fainted, I was trying to revive her."

Aaron couldn't believe what he was hearing as he narrowed his eyes to mere slits as he demanded in a deceptively calm tone as he motioned towards the man's face;

"Tell me something, Anderson, did she just so happen to 'faint' before or after you tried to attack my wife and she did that to you? Or was it after you hit her?"

Seeing the hatred and anger burning in his opponent's dark eyes, Blake realized that he would have to alter his plan to obtain his goal. His arrogance surfacing, Blake decided that taunting Aaron into carelessness would, not only, offer him a decided edge in his purpose, but give him personal satisfaction as well. A sneer crossing his features, Blake ventured;

"I can assure you that, whatever damage that little hellcat you're married to might have inflicted on me, it's nothing compared to what I have in store for her, and there's nothing that you can do to prevent any of it. A dead man can't defend his wife and that's most assuredly what you're about to be."

Still unable to grasp the level of delusional arrogance that Anderson was exhibiting, Aaron shook his head as he challenged;

"Give it your best shot, Anderson, but you better make sure that it's a damn good one because when I get up, I can promise you, you won't."

Noticing Jason's silent approach, from the cliffside, Aaron maneuvered slightly to place himself between Blake and Jemma as well as putting the man's back towards Jason to maintain the element of surprise. Willing himself to patience and calmness, knowing that allowing himself to be taunted into rash action was something that could well see the man's predictions of his, Jemma and their unborn child's life ending come true. Deciding to turn the man's tactics back on him, Aaron demanded;

"Just what exactly did you do to my wife?"

Chucking in heinous amusement, Blake advised;

"Let's just say I needed her in a 'cooperative' mood, so the ginger soda that I was thoughtful enough to have ready for her while we were on our way here was liberally laced with Paregoric."

Even though he was determined not to let his anger overrule his good sense, Aaron couldn't help his reaction as his eyes widened in concern before shaking his head as he growled;

"Do you mean to tell me that you gave my pregnant wife something that has morphine in it?"

Glaring in hatred at the man, Aaron confirmed;

"Any doubts that I might have had about your lack of sanity, you've just settled, especially considering that all of this is for nothing. Julie knows about your plan, Anderson, she was already having doubts and had decided not to marry you, so even if you were to get away with what you're TRYING to do, it would still be for nothing since you'd have no claim. We even found the forged will in your room at Lottie's."

His eyes widening in frenzy, Blake growled;

"YOU'RE LYING! Julie will believe whatever I tell her and she would never refuse to marry me, she's too desperate, and with your and your wife's deaths, she'll be even more so. She just doesn't realize that she'll be joining the two of you once the estate is settled and we're married."

Jason slipped up as quietly as possible behind Blake as Aaron kept him distracted. He couldn't help but find a new well of respect for his brother in law as he noticed the granite-like set to the man's jaw, something he knew from years of experience meant that Aaron's temper was pushed to its limits, not surprising when he noticed his sister's condition as she laid nearby unconscious. His sister's condition wasn't the only thing that Jason noticed as he made his stealthy approach, especially as he heard the distinct sound of rattling coming from the direction of what, he realized, was the pit that Julie had described to them where the nest of rattlesnakes could be found.

Noting how Aaron had managed to place himself between Blake and Jemma, Jason got closer as Blake finished his tirade before he corrected;

"Actually, Anderson, that won't be happening; Julie has decided that she doesn't want to marry you. Not to mention the fact that, now, you'll have to kill me too, and just how do you think you'd be able to explain that; especially to our family?"

Infuriated at the thought that his scheme was falling apart, Blake turned from Aaron to Jason to accuse;

"You're lying, why would Julie change her mind?

Meeting the man's frantic look with a level one of his own, Jason stated in a calm tone, something that he knew would push the man's anger and recklessness even further:

"Because Julie doesn't love you, Anderson. Didn't you wonder why she kept putting off the engagement party and wedding? It's because she loves me and I love her, and, as it just so happens, I asked her to marry me and she's accepted."

Seeing the look of frenzy light the man's eyes, Jason wasn't surprised as his face became a mask of infuriated vengeance as he launched himself in Jason's direction as he roared;

"SHE WON'T BE ABLE TO MARRY A DEADMAN, WILL SHE, BOLT?!"

Although Jason had hoped to antagonize the man into launching an attack on him to lure him further away from Jemma, giving Aaron the chance to help her, he realized, almost too late, that he had misjudged the stability of his location, especially when he lost his footing and fell backward, hitting his head against a protruding rock. Seeing his opportunity, Blake snatched a large rock from the ground and lifted it with the obvious intention of smashing it against Jason's head. Dazed, Jason vaguely realized what was about to happen and found himself grateful to his brother in law when Aaron snatched the man's arm to force him to drop the rock before dragging him away from Jason in the hopes he would quickly get his bearings.

Even through his insanity, Blake had just enough presence of mind to understand that any hopes he had that his scheme would be successful were no longer valid, his determination turned to that of survival, something he knew wasn't possible as long as these two men lived. Holding that thought in mind, Blake swung around to strike out, effectively catching Aaron across the side of his jaw, pushing him backward, closer to the pit. Realizing just what the pit contained, Aaron tried maneuvering away from the area by surprising Blake with a left hook as he advanced on him, trying to push the advantage he thought he had. Even though Aaron's left hook packed a much harder impact than what Jemma's had, Blake was able to fight the effects enough to reach into his pocket for his switchblade, and seeing his opportunity as Aaron came at him, Blake lashed out. Fortunately, seeing his hand going for his pocket, Aaron had retreated somewhat and Blake had only managed to draw a superficial cut across his chest.

Despite escaping the more serious effects of the knife in his opponent's hands, Aaron had also managed to find himself closer to the pit of snakes that he had been trying to avoid. Attempting to maneuver away, Aaron lost his footing and slid, something that found him falling to his knees and something that gave Blake a decided advantage, a factor that he immediately tried to seize upon as he advanced on him, not allowing him to regain his footing, as he glowered in hatred;

"I may not be able to lay claim to your or Julie's money, but it won't do you, her or that pretty little wife of yours any good. And since I won't be able to claim a financial reward, maybe I'll just claim a reward of another type from her before I slit her throat."

At the idea of what he had planned for Jemma, Aaron's fury rose and he made his mind up as he glanced at the pit; he might not survive it but neither would Anderson and, at least, Jemma, their

child and Julie would be safe. Seeing him raise the knife over him, Aaron prepared to launch himself at his attacker, but before he could do so a shot rang out as Anderson screamed in pain as he dropped the knife and clutched at his left shoulder.

Despite having blacked out from the combined effects of the drug that Blake had given her and the blow he had inflicted on her, Jemma could hear the sounds of Aaron's, Blake's and even Jason's voices, something that alarmed her as she dimly realized he had stopped speaking and even more so when she heard the sounds of a struggle. Fighting to open her eyes the first sight she saw was that of her husband on his knees with blood pouring from his chest, something that sent her panic and adrenaline through the roof as she fought her way to standing. Feeling the weight of her bag wrapped around the middle of her arm, she was about to snatch the burden from her arm when she realized why the weight bothered her. Jerking the bag from her arm she quickly reached in to pull out the Derringer that Aaron had insisted she carry. Even though her vision was still slightly off as was her balance, she muttered a short prayer;

"Dear Lord, please don't let me miss."

Noticing the look of determination on her husband's face as he glanced at the pit, Jemma knew what Aaron was planning and, determined that wouldn't be the case, she fired. Although she had managed to take Blake by surprise, her aim wasn't quite what she had hoped and she had only managed to hit his left shoulder, although it was enough to force him to drop the knife. Hoping her reflexes would be good enough, Jemma launched herself at the man in the hopes of knocking him off balance and into his own trap.

Just as she had noticed with him, Aaron could see by the determined look on her face just what his wife's intention was as she dropped the pistol before launching herself at their tormentor. His eyes widening in terror, Aaron roared, although not in time to stop her;

"JEMMA, NO! DON'T DO IT!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than she was upon Blake and sending him over the edge of the pit, something that would have found her following him had Aaron not experienced his own rush of adrenaline as he reached out frantically to block her with his arm as he wrapped it around her to snatch her towards him to find her landing on her backside in front of him. Needing the reassurance, he held her close to his chest before loosening his grip to bring his hand up to her cheek before demanding in a voice full of fear and anxiety;

"Are you alright?"

Swallowing the lump of fear that had lodged in her throat, Jemma nodded as she lifted her hand to touch the knife slash that ran across his chest as she returned;

"Are you?"

Shaking his head, Aaron offered;

"It's nothing."

Before either could say anything else, they could hear the horrifying screams coming from the pit behind them. Glancing over his shoulder, Aaron could see that the fate that Anderson had threatened them with had been the one that he had met as he seemed to be drowning in a sea of rattlesnakes. Feeling her shaking, he turned to find Jemma holding her hands over her ears and her eyes tightly shut, as if trying to shut out what she was hearing and seeing. Not wanting her to endure any more trauma and horror than what she had already experienced, Aaron sought a way to get them away from the pit when he felt Jason's hand on his shoulder.

Despite how disoriented the blow that he had received had left him, Jason fought to regain his sense, knowing just how desperate the fight was becoming between Aaron and Anderson. When he had seen his sister's intention, he had gained his feet as quickly as possible, although he knew that Aaron would sacrifice himself before allowing her to do so. Despite having seen some grisly deaths as the result of his chosen profession, nothing could have prepared him for what he saw in the pit as he got closer to Aaron and his sister, even Anderson's screams, as horrible as they were, couldn't have prepared him for what he saw in his quick glimpse over the edge of the hole.

Offering Aaron his hand, he motioned towards his wound to demand;

"Are you alright?"

Nodding, he brushed it off;

"It's just a scratch it's no big deal."

Motioning to Jemma as he pulled himself up with Jason's help, he advised;

"SHE'S the one that I'm concerned about."

Noticing how Anderson's screams had ebbed, Aaron and Jason waited a moment until they ceased all together before they helped Jemma to her feet and led her away from the pit. Both could see that she was less than steady in her balance as Aaron turned her towards him before gently taking her wrists in his hands to pry them away from her ears as he gently ordered;

"Jemma, come on sweetheart and open your eyes and look at me, it's all over with and Anderson's gone, he can't hurt me, you and most especially not our baby. Come on, look at me."

Although it took a moment for her to do so, much to Aaron's relief, she opened her eyes to search his as she demanded;

"He's really..."

Nodding, Aaron confirmed;

"Dead? Yes, love, he is."

Seeing the look of guilty sorrow that filled her eyes, he wasn't surprised when she began shaking her head as tears began sliding down her cheeks before pleading;

"I didn't want to do it, Aaron, I swear I didn't want to kill him, but he was going to kill you, I couldn't let him kill you or our baby. Even when I shot him I knew he wouldn't stop; I didn't want to push him in there, but I didn't know how else I could stop him."

Wrapping his arms around her and holding her close against him, he wasn't surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck before burying her face against his neck as she began truly sobbing. Aaron and Jason exchanged twin looks of concern, both knowing just how tender-hearted she was and both having the same concerns over how Anderson's death was going to affect her. Reaching out, Jason placed his hand on his sister's shoulder as he sought to comfort her;

"Jemma, Pixie, look at me, sweetie."

Jemma lifted her head slightly to lay it on her husband's shoulder as she complied with her brother's request. Seeing that he had her attention, Jason explained;

"Pixie, we figured out what Anderson had in mind, and given how he bragged about it to Aaron and I, I'm quite certain that he also told you the extent of his plans for all of you, didn't he?"

At her slight nod, he offered;

"Then HE left you with no choice. Even when we told him that Julie had decided not to marry him, he was still determined in his plan. He was insane and no amount of reasoning was going to stop him and you know that you didn't kill him, you saved your husband's, yours and your child's life, and more than likely mine and Julie's too. Do you understand, Pixie?"

Wiping the tears from her face, Jemma nodded as she offered softly;

"Yes."

Loosening his grip, Aaron pushed her way slightly to inspect the damage that Anderson had done to her face, noticing as he did so that she wasn't very steady, a fact even more evident as he noticed the glazed look in her eyes. He realized that, with the threat to their lives no longer an issue and the rush of adrenaline and the determination that she had not to let Anderson destroy their family something that had fueled her strength and determination to fight the effects of the drug that Anderson had given her, fighting the effects was becoming more and more difficult for her. Any doubts that Aaron, or Jason, had to the contrary soon vanished as she tried to take a step and stumbled, she would have fallen had her husband and brother not held her up. Jason and Aaron exchanged twin looks of concern as Aaron placed his finger under her chin to lift her eyes to meet his, something he realized didn't help her, especially when her eyes closed and she passed out.

His worry for his sister evident, Jason demanded;

"What did he do to her?"

Sweeping her up in his arms as he hurried to his horse with Jason following closely, Aaron fumed;

"Take your pick, Jason. He drugged her thinking she wouldn't fight him, when I found them he had tried to attack her and when she fought back he hit her."

Noticing the horse and buggy, Jason ventured;

"Maybe you should take the buggy?"

Shaking his head, Aaron pointed out;

"That would mean the long way back to Seattle. You and I both know that the way we came in would be much too rough in that rig, given what she's been through and what he gave her I'm not taking any chances by bouncing her around in that thing and we need to get her back to Seattle as fast as possible."

The concern showing in his face, Jason demanded;

"What do you mean by 'what he gave her'?"

Whistling for his horse, Aaron carefully laid Jemma in her brother's arms as he grabbed the horse's reins as it responded to his summons. Turning as he prepared to climb into the saddle, he answered Jason;

"He gave her Paregoric, he even bragged that he gave her a double dose of it."

Jason understood Aaron's concern, especially because the drug Anderson had decided to use was one that contained morphine. Seeing that he was settled in his saddle, Jason rushed to lift his sister into her husband's waiting arms as he advised;

"The way I came up is a little shorter and my horse is waiting there. I'll go ahead and make sure Allyn is waiting for you."

Nodding his agreement, Aaron turned his horse and hurried the animal towards the path as he urged the horse to pick up speed. 

***********************************************************************

Aaron sat in the kitchen as Julie tended and bandaged the cut on his chest while Allyn, with Candy's, and Lottie's help, tended to Jemma. At first, he had refused to worry with the wound, but after he had placed Jemma in their bed as Candy and Allyn set about their work, Lottie had begun to search through

the dresser drawers. Assuming that she was looking for a gown for his wife, Aaron motioned towards one of the drawers as he offered;

"Jemma keeps her nightgowns in that drawer, Lottie."

Continuing her search until she found the appropriate drawer before yanking out a clean shirt to toss to Julie as she ordered;

"I wasn't looking for her nightgown, Aaron, I was looking for a clean shirt for you. Now, you go downstairs this minute and let Julie tend to that,"

Motioning to the cut on his chest before placing her hands on her hips to further direct;

"Don't you think that poor girl has been through more than enough without waking up to see her husband bleeding from his chest?"

Seeing that he was about to argue, she stood firm in her dictates as she decreed;

"Aaron Stempel, so help me if you don't do as I said and you scare Jemma anymore than what she's already been scared today, I'll see to it that you aren't allowed back in this room until that baby is born. And even then just for a visit and you know I can do it too, don't you?"

Knowing that she wasn't just issuing an idle threat, yet his concern for his wife obvious, Aaron stood in indecision for a moment until Lottie approached and placed her hand on his shoulder as she softened her tone somewhat;

"Go let Julie deal with your wound while we take care of Jemma, you know Allyn is going to shoo you out anyway and you also know how frightened she would be if she woke up to find out that you didn't take care of that. I'll come to get you as soon as Allyn says it's alright."

Unable to deny the truth of her observation, Aaron simply nodded as he turned to make his way downstairs. Turning to Julie, Lottie nodded;

"Go take care of your brother, Julie."

Once she had gathered what she would need to see to her brother's wound, Julie couldn't help but bite at her bottom lip in frustration as she cleaned the cut. Noticing his sister's silence as well as the way she bit at her lip in nervousness, Aaron shook his head as he offered;

"You didn't know Julie, there's no way that you could have because anyone with any decency in them couldn't have conceived that ANYBODY could have been capable of what he had planned."

Securing the bandage across his chest, Julie couldn't help but lament;

"But I brought him here, Aaron. What if you and Jason had not found Jemma in time, what if he had..."

Leaving the thought unspoken, she lowered her head as she stated;

"It's all my fault, if I had just faced up to what I was trying to fight, then I would never have agreed to marry, Blake."

Sighing in frustration as he began buttoning his shirt since Julie had finished bandaging his wound, Aaron admitted;

"Julie, you can't blame yourself, if that's the case then it's my fault too. Maybe if I hadn't of given you such a hard time in the first place about marrying and your part of the inheritance then maybe he wouldn't have been able to worm his way into your good graces."

Placing his hand on her shoulder, Aaron shook his head as he offered;

"No, this was someone who was determined in what he was going to do and our family just happened to be his target."

Recalling what Jason had said on the cliff top, Aaron folded his arms across his chest as he demanded;

"By the way, was Jason just trying to taunt Anderson or was he serious when he said that you two have decided to get married?"

At her nod, he couldn't help but notice the worried look in her eyes as she asked hesitantly;

"Are you going to give us a difficult time about it this time, as you did before?"

Meeting her worried look with a level one of his own, Aaron returned;

"That depends; is this a charade to get your way like it was before?"

Seeing her eyes widen, he knew that he had shocked her by admitting that he had been aware of the scheme that Jason and she had concocted to secure her portion of their shared inheritance. A fact made more evident as she demanded;

"YOU KNEW?!"

Shrugging slightly, he confessed;

"Not the whole time, no. I figured it out when you gave in so easily about accepting the money and going back to San Francisco. I knew that you wouldn't agree to marry a man unless you loved him, and you wouldn't have accepted my offer so readily. But somehow, I think that you and Jason, both, in trying to trick me ended up tricking yourselves because you ended up falling in love with each other."

Shaking his head, Aaron pointed out;

"You didn't come to Seattle for my blessing or for me to give you away, Julie, you came because you were trying to convince yourself that you DIDN'T love Jason Bolt and that you were doing the right thing by marrying Anderson. Or am I wrong?"

Offering a slight shake of her head, Julie admitted;

"No, you're not. I thought that I loved Blake because, when I was with him, I would forget Jason and our time together. But then, when we got here, the idea of marrying him just seemed more and more like a bad idea. So much so that I went to talk to Jason about it before we came to find you. I had made my mind up that I was going to confess how I felt. At least that way it would no longer eat me up inside, and that's when he confessed his feelings for me and asked me to marry him."

Hearing the sound of Candy's voice as she descended the stairs Aaron placed his hand on his sister's shoulder as he advised;

"We'll discuss this a little later and I'll talk with Jason as well."

Jason watched as Aaron rushed past him as he entered the kitchen. Turning to Julie he questioned;

"Is everything alright, Julie?"

Offering a slight shrug, Julie admitted;

"I'm not really sure. I think that it is or at least will be, but, right now, I'm not certain. His mind isn't really on us at the moment."

Nodding, Jason speculated;

"That's certainly understandable. I'll talk to him once we're sure Pixie and the baby are alright."

Having heard Candy's voice Aaron hurried to the living room to demand impatiently;

"How is she?"

Before she could answer, Lottie called;

"Aaron?"

Turning he hurried to the staircase to repeat his question to Lottie;

"How is she, Lottie?"

Nodding in satisfaction as she noted that he had followed her instructions, she motioned towards the top of the stairs as she advised;

"We have her settled and Dr. Wright wants to speak to you."

Lottie watched as he bolted up the staircase before shaking her head in astonishment at the realization of just how much devotion a man like Aaron Stempel could possess for another person such as he did for Jemma. Deciding to see to some food for everyone, Lottie made her way to the kitchen and found herself surprised at the sight of Jason and Julie, obviously oblivious to anyone save each other as they were locked in an embrace while they were kissing. Backing out of the door quietly, once it was closed, Lottie could only wonder aloud;

"Will miracles never cease?"

Aaron pushed the door open slightly and waited until Allyn advised;

"It's alright, come on in."

His gaze immediately went to the bed where he could see that Jemma had been made more comfortable and seemed to be sleeping soundly. Turning back towards the physician, he asked softly;

"How is she?"

Motioning towards the rocking chair, Allyn turned the chair at Jemma's dressing table around to take a seat as she faced Aaron to order;

"Please, I can't stand anyone to stand over me, have a seat so we can discuss a few things."

Complying with her request, Aaron sat on the edge of the chair and waited for her to begin. Seeing the concern so evident in his eyes, Allyn offered;

"First, the baby seems to be fine, but considering that this child is half Stempel, half Bolt that comes as no surprise to me since he or she is probably already twice as stubborn as any adult, even possibly their parents."

Even though the small, half-smile in amusement of her observation was a heartening reaction, she wasn't surprised when he asked;

"But what about Jemma? I mean considering what he gave her and what he did and tried to do to her, not to mention what she saw and heard."

Understanding his concerns, she addressed each in turn;

"Well, as far as what he gave her; yes, I'm not thrilled that she ingested any Paregoric at all considering it has morphine in it, let alone at least double the recommended dose. However, from what I can tell after examining her, it's not going to harm the baby, if she were to continue taking it then I'd be very concerned, but considering she had to be tricked into taking what she did, I don't see that as a problem. Not to mention, from what you told me, she fought the effects tooth and nail until she was sure that the danger had passed, something someone prone to addiction isn't very likely to do, so I don't believe we have anything to worry about on that account."

Aaron couldn't help but notice that her attitude seemed to turn somewhat somber as she stated sympathetically;

"As far as what she experienced,"

Shaking her head, she continued;

"What that man had planned for your family has to be one of the most horrific things that I've ever heard of. And, being honest, there aren't a lot of women, especially in her condition, who would have fought like Jemma did, but despite her determination and her fortitude, she's also one of the most kind-hearted people that I've ever met. So even though he didn't leave her any options and forced a life or death situation on all of you and really caused his own death, she will still have to come to terms with it. I think it's only fair to tell you though, some of the latest things that I've read about morphine have said that it can cause strange dreams until it leaves the body, so considering what she's been through and seen, don't be surprised if she has nightmares for the next couple of days or so."

Motioning towards the bed, he couldn't

help but ask;

"Are you sure that..."

Having already guessed the remainder of his question, she supplied;

"She didn't ingest too much?"

As his slight nod, she shook her head;

"I checked her heartbeat and her pulse and both are good and strong which wouldn't be the case if she had. No, like I said earlier, she fought against giving in to the effects of the drug until she was sure you were all safe, that being the case, once she no longer had fear and adrenaline fueling her determination, she couldn't fight against the side effects any longer, I'm actually hoping she'll sleep it off, she really needs the rest."

Satisfied that she had covered the more immediate concerns, Allyn addressed the other issues that she had determined needed to be dealt with;

"Now as far as her recovery goes; my rule about riding still goes. I don't want her on a horse until the baby is born, especially since she's starting to show and I want you to make sure that she eats, drinks plenty of milk, and gets plenty of rest. And I can't believe that I'm saying this, but there's one other thing that I want you to do."

Hearing the serious tone in her voice, Aaron waited on bated breath, wondering what she had in mind when she took him by surprise as she ordered;

"I want you to let her continue working with you in the mill office."

Shocked by her request, he looked at her puzzled as he demanded;

"But I thought you said you wanted her resting?"

Nodding, she explained her logic;

"I do, but there are many types of rest and I have no doubts that you'll ensure she gets plenty of the physical kind; no, this is to help her get over what's taken place. I've noticed that working in the office seems to be something that she enjoys and given that she has to focus on what she's doing to ensure nothing goes amiss, I think it would be much healthier than her trying to fill her time rattling around this house until the baby's born. Not to mention it will keep her mind focused and not dwelling on what took place, plus there's the bonus that she'll feel more secure because she knows that you're close by."

Understanding the logic behind her suggestion, Aaron nodded as he agreed;

"If you think that's what's best for her then that that's that what I'll do."

Rising from her chair, Allyn grabbed her bag before advising;

"I don't see there being one, but if, for any reason, there's a problem send for me right away, otherwise, I'll be by to check on her tomorrow. And, as I said earlier, don't let it worry you if she sleeps for quite some time."

Turning towards the door as she prepared to leave, Allyn stopped a moment to place her hand on Aaron's shoulder as she advised;

"Aaron, she really is going to be alright."

Nodding, Aaron offered his gratitude;

"Thank you, Allyn, for everything."

Once she left the room, Aaron sat for a minute, trying to decide on his next course of action. He knew that Jemma wouldn't be waking anytime soon and, logically, he should go have a talk with Jason about Julie. However, what his logic suggested was in contradiction with his instincts and with what his heart wanted; the last thing that he wanted was to leave his wife. Sitting on the edge, careful not to disturb her, he took the hand that she had laying next to her on the pillow before reaching out to gently push the hair that had fallen over her shoulder behind her before leaning over, careful of the bruise marring her face, to place a gentle kiss on her cheek before shaking his head as he observed softly;

"You are definitely one tough and strong lady, sweetheart."

Laying her hand back on the pillow Aaron settled himself in the rocker to sit vigil over her as she slept. Given the events of the day as well as what had taken place since his sister and Anderson's arrival, he soon found himself lost in thought, so much so that he didn't realize how much time had passed or hear the bedroom door open or close and had no idea that there was anyone else in the room until he felt a hand touch his shoulder, something that found him startled as he jumped slightly before turning to find Josh standing next to him. Motioning towards his sister, he offered;

"Lottie, Candy, and Julie fixed some supper, Aaron and Lottie said that you are to come downstairs this minute and get something to eat."

Seeing his hesitation, he assured his brother in law;

"I'll sit with her till you get back, don't worry."

Josh could see that he was debating just how necessary leaving Jemma's side was and knowing how his sister and Lottie would react he pointed out;

"Look, Aaron, you know good and well that if she wakes up and finds out that we didn't make you look after yourself properly, not only is she going to get a hold of you, but she'll take a chunk out of our hides too."

Shaking his head, he admitted;

"Personally, I happen to like my hide intact. Not to mention having Lottie on your case, believe me, it's much easier to just go get something to eat.

Offering a slightly amused chuckle at his brother in law's observation, Aaron finally relented;

"Alright, Josh, you're right. Besides, Lottie's already threatened to ban me from my own bedroom and the scary part is that I think she could actually do it."

Rising from his chair, he crossed to the door before declaring;

"But..."

Nodding, already knowing what he was going to say, Josh offered;

"I promise if she happens to wake up then I'll come to get you."

Hearing his approach, Lottie set Aaron's plate on the table as well as a fresh cup of coffee before pouring herself a cup and joining him. Noticing how she seemed to be waiting patiently as he took his coffee cup in hand, before taking a sip, he demanded somewhat brusquely;

"Alright, Lottie, what?"

Waving her hand in the direction of the living room she advised;

"Well, after I made certain that they knew she was going to be just fine, I sent Jeremy and Candy to the dormitory, Joshua to sit with Jemma while you ate and Jason and Julie out for a stroll. I have the feeling that they have some things that they're needing to talk over."

Setting the cup on the table as he attacked the steak she had prepared for him, he nodded;

"I'm assuming that they do."

Trying to fathom his attitude about the situation, Lottie pointed out;

"You realize what's going on between those two, don't you Aaron?"

Glancing at her casually, he speculated;

"I'd like to think I have a clue or two about it, Lottie; why?"

Placing her hands flat on the table, she pointed out, somewhat frustrated;

"Aaron, when I came downstairs a while ago, I found them in here; hugging and kissing. The last time I've seen THAT much affection was either Jeremy and Candy or you and Jemma. And considering that Jeremy and Candy are planning on getting married and you and Jemma ARE married, WITH a baby on the way, I might add, I think it might just be possible that those two are headed for the alter."

Pouring himself another cup of coffee, Aaron lifted an eyebrow at her in question as he demanded;

"Lottie, isn't that what people in love usually do; get married?"

Aaron couldn't help but notice Lottie's agitation as he calmly took a sip of his coffee. Turning to her, he demanded;

"Lottie, would you, in your always tactful and unassuming way, be asking me if I'm planning on giving Jason as hard a time about wanting to marry my sister as he gave me about marrying his?"

Her mouth pursing in a very thin line of aggravation, she issued in a warning tone;

"Aaron."

Shaking his head as he rose to tend to his dishes, Aaron issued;

"Lottie, do you happen to remember what happened as a result of Jason doing that?"

Although she offered a slight nod, Lottie chose to remain silent as he continued;

"Lottie, I have a lot of faults that I freely admit to. I can be arrogant, demanding, overbearing, stubborn and impossible; however, I would also like to think that I'm a man who is intelligent enough to learn from the mistakes of others as well as from my own. Now, I gave Julie a hard time before about a husband and about living her own life and that hard time resulted in Anderson and almost resulted in losing my wife and unborn child; I just thank God that it didn't. As far as Jason and Julie go,"

Shaking his head, he offered;

"No, I won't stand in their way. Don't you think that would be a little hypocritical on my part to keep her from marrying a Bolt when I wanted to so badly? No, I'm not going to stop them, to tell you the truth I actually find it more than a little amusing in the fact that, in trying to trick me into giving Julie her inheritance, they ended up tricking themselves and falling in love with each other."

Having finished with the chore of washing up, Aaron dried his hands before taking two glasses and the whiskey decanter from a cabinet to rejoin her at the table before pouring them both a glass. Clinking his glass against the side of hers he offered an amused chuckle as well as a humorous grin before adding;

"But don't think that I'm not going to get some amusement out of the conversation I plan on having with Jason though. Although I don't plan on pushing him to the point of punching the hell out of me."

Narrowing her eyes for a moment in contemplation, Lottie offered a slight shrug as she returned the gesture with her glass as she ventured;

"Well, I can't exactly say that I blame you, on either account." 


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11**

Although he had tried to send her home, Lottie refused Aaron's suggestion to allow Josh to escort her back to the saloon. Standing her ground, she placed her hands on her hips as she shook her head and stated adamantly;

"No, Aaron. I know what Dr. Wright said, but we don't know what sort of effect that drug he gave her may have and you may need my help, especially in her condition. Not to mention, you may need the doctor and if there isn't anyone else here then you'd have to leave Jemma by herself. NO! Jeremy brought my nightclothes earlier so I'll just stay in your spare room, if she sleeps through the night with no problems, then all that means is that you'll have a houseguest who will fix you breakfast in the morning."

Seeing that he wasn't going to dissuade her, Aaron simply agreed;

"Alright, Lottie. Maybe you're right, just in case something happened I would have to leave her by herself to get Allyn."

Satisfied that the matter was settled, Lottie nodded as she bid;

"Now that, that's settled, I think I'm going to turn in."

Glancing at Jason and Julie, Lottie couldn't resist quipping;

"Goodnight, Jason, Julie. Despite how the day has been I certainly hope you two enjoy the stroll to the dorm."

Despite retaining his mask of seriousness, Aaron couldn't help but find amusement as Jason's face turned red before he began;

"Aaron, I was hoping that you and I..."

Raising his hand to stall his brother in law, Aaron shook his head;

"Jason, I think that we've all had more than enough excitement for today and I know that I'm exhausted. I think that whatever the topic you want to discuss is it can certainly wait until tomorrow at least. Considering that the main concern in my mind happens to be asleep upstairs and, to be fair, my mind would not be on our topic of conversation right now."

Somewhat chagrined, Jason nodded;

"You're right, of course, Aaron, it can wait until Pixie is up and around."

Motioning towards Julie, Aaron invited;

"But if you wouldn't mind, would you please see Julie safely back to the dorm?

Somewhat shocked that his brother in law had just asked him to do the very thing that he was about to offer, Jason nodded as he took Julie's arm and bid;

"Goodnight, Aaron, if you need anything, anything at all, send for us."

Once they had left, Aaron made certain that all of the lamps except the one that they left burning at the bottom of the stairs was extinguished before climbing the stairs to his and Jemma's bedroom. Seeing that she was still sleeping soundly, Aaron climbed into bed next to her and, careful not to wake her, pressed close against her back as he draped his arm possessively over her waist to rest his hand on the slight swell of her stomach. Despite how deeply she was sleeping, Aaron couldn't help but notice how she seemed to relax a bit more as he placed his arm across her as if she was aware that he was next to her and that she was safe in his arms. Satisfied that she was resting and even more relieved at knowing that there was no longer someone trying to threaten her and their child's life, Aaron found he was able to fall asleep much sooner than what he had thought possible.

Although Jemma had never slept so deeply in her life, the depth of her slumber didn't stop the flashing images of what she had experienced from creeping through her mind. However, given that she was still suffering from the effects of the morphine found in the Paregoric that Anderson had used to drug her, the images in her dream became much more sinister and evil in her confused mind. Although she had never been one to suffer from bad dreams, Jemma now found herself immersed in the memories of what she had experienced that day, however, in her dreams the memories were much more nightmarish and horrifying because of the twists they seemed to take.

Despite having been sound asleep, Aaron knew the minute that she had sat straight up in bed screaming what was taking place, especially given that Allyn had warned him of this very possibility. Quickly, he sat up and took Jemma in his arms to pull her close to him, despite her struggles. He held her gently, yet firmly as he issued;

"It's alright, Jemma love, I promise."

Holding her close with one arm, he took his free hand to gently pat her cheek, careful of the bruise on her face, as he raised his voice slightly to demand in a firm tone;

"Jemma, wake up, it's alright, I promise."

Even in the dim light of the low lit lamp from across the room, Aaron could see the realization dawning in her eyes, despite the fear and terror that he also saw present there. He couldn't help but notice how she had begun shaking with fear, something that he had never thought would ever happen with his wife and the sight of which now tore at his heart. He wasn't surprised when she brought her hands up to cover her face as she began sobbing in sadness just before she buried her face against his chest as he wrapped both arms around her to hold her close. It took him a moment to remember that they weren't alone in the house, but the reminder of Lottie's presence was soon apparent as their bedroom door opened quietly just before she peeked her head in before demanding;

"Aaron, what happened?"

Holding his wife tighter, trying to give her comfort and security, Aaron offered simply;

"She had a nightmare., Allyn said that it might well happen between the morphine and what she went through."

Nodding her understanding, she asked in concern;

"Is there anything that I can do?"

Shaking his head, he observed;

"No, not really. I'll calm her down and then get her back to sleep."

Although it frustrated her not being able to do anything, Lottie knew that there wasn't really anything that she could do to help Jemma out at the moment. Allyn had specifically stated that she didn't want her taking in anything stronger than milk, water or ginger tea for the next few days, so offering to get her a little sherry or brandy wasn't an option. Lottie couldn't help but offer;

"If you need me, just yell."

With that, she pulled the door quietly to and made her way back to her room. Aaron waited until she had quieted somewhat before pushing her away from him slightly as he began wiping the tears from her face as he suggested;

"It might help if you tell me about it, it's not nearly as scary if you talk it out as it is if you keep it inside."

Taking a deep, calming breath, Jemma shook her head as she looked sadly into her husband's eyes and confessed;

"I wouldn't even know how to begin to explain it, honey. Everything just seemed so...jumbled. Anderson was still alive and we were back on the cliff but it was like the snakes were all around him and all around us, it was just so many bits and pieces. One minute you were there and then you disappeared and then at one point I remember looking down and the next my stomach was flat and when I looked back at him, he was holding a baby and I knew it was our baby and it was as if the snakes carried our baby off with them. I'm sorry I know that none of it makes any sense, I must be going crazy."

Reaching over to the bedside table, Aaron poured her a glass of water before offering it to her as he instructed;

"Here, I want you to drink some water, it might help a little. Besides, Allyn said that the more water you drank the faster the morphine would leave your system."

Realizing that the very last thing that she had, had to drink had been the tainted ginger soda, as well as just how dry her throat felt, Jemma took the glass and quickly drank the water down in almost no time. Shocked, especially when she held the glass out and pleaded somewhat sheepishly;

"Could I please have some more?"

Aaron shook his head as he offered somewhat humorously;

"I'm glad that this is water, the only other person that I've ever seen drink THAT fast was Clancy."

Pouring her another glass of water he watched as she drained the glass, although not nearly as quickly as the first time. After he took her glass when she had finished he turned back to her to demand;

"Despite the nightmare, how are you feeling?"

Offering a slight shrug she tried to explain;

"To be honest, aside from having been so thirsty, I still feel a little lightheaded."

Bringing her hand up to stifle a yawn, she confessed;

"And a little sleepy."

Cupping her face in his hands, Aaron searched her eyes carefully, glad to see that the glassy look that had been so evident before she had collapsed seemed to have been replaced by a look that indicated that she was more sleepy than anything at this point. Brushing his mouth against hers he suggested;

"I think that given the day the three of us have had, we should see about getting some sleep, how about you?"

Although she nodded her agreement, she couldn't help but ask worriedly;

"Are you sure that it wouldn't be better if I slept in the other room? I don't want to disturb your rest like I just did."

Shaking his head as he settled back against the pillows before pulling her to lay next to him as he advised her;

"First of all, I didn't marry you just so we could sleep in separate beds; now if I'm disturbing your rest then that's one thing, but I happen to prefer you just where you're at, thank you very much. Second; you didn't disturb my rest, I promise you, I'd worry about you much more if you weren't laying in here next to me. And, finally, Lottie decreed that she was staying the night, just in case, so, other than a chair or the sofa in the living room, there isn't another place to sleep and I'm not about to let you sleep on either one and I'm much too fond of our bed to volunteer to do so unless you'd just prefer sleeping alone."

He knew by the wide-eyed look of panic what her answer was going to be even before she shook her head vehemently as she exclaimed;

"NO!"

Seeing the fear so evident in her eyes, he shifted slightly before hooking his finger under her chin to lift her eyes to meet his as he offered in an apologetic tone;

"Sweetheart, I wasn't trying to scare you and I'm sorry if it came out that way. I know that, what happened today, what you went through is going to take some time to get over. But, darlin, you HAVE to know that I'm not going to leave you to deal with this alone; I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. Anderson is gone and he won't be bothering us again; I promise."

Turning to make himself more comfortable, Aaron settled her as well before suggesting;

"I think that it's time we get some rest; I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere, so you just get yourself some rest; alright?"

Nodding as she pressed closer, she glanced up to offer;

"I love you, very much, you know that, right?"

Placing a kiss on the top of her head, Aaron returned;

"And I love you just as much. Goodnight, love."

Once he realized that she had fallen asleep by the steady, even rise and fall of her chest, Aaron couldn't help but say a prayer of thanks before seeking his own rest for the night.

Lottie couldn't help but find amusement in her charge's frustration as she pleaded, for the countless time since Lottie had entered the room;

"But, Lottie, I feel perfectly fine, I'm not even the least bit nauseous this morning and besides that, I should be up fixing Aaron's breakfast."

Placing her arm behind her shoulder to push her up slightly, Lottie took Jemma's pillow and fluffed it before placing it behind her back as she admonished;

"Well, since you're not feeling sick to your stomach then that means you shouldn't have any trouble eating everything that's on your breakfast tray. As far as fixing Aaron's breakfast, you do realize that I'm the one who taught you how to cook, not to mention, you do realize that your husband managed to fend for himself before you were married, right?"

Offering her a wry look of sarcasm, Jemma pointed out;

"Lottie, he 'managed' by eating at your saloon, remember? Besides, I feel perfectly well this morning and there isn't any sense in my lying about in this bed when I'm not sick. I guess I must have slept off the effects of the Paregoric."

Nodding, Lottie countered;

"There you are then, I cooked Aaron's breakfast before I came up here to see to you."

Before she could remark any further, both were surprised as they heard Aaron dictate from the doorway as he carried in a tray full of food;

"I'm glad that you're feeling better, sweetheart, but until Allyn says that she is sure it's alright for you to do otherwise, you are going to stay in that bed and let me spoil you."

Crossing her arms over her middle, she quipped sarcastically;

"You already do that."

Nodding as he set the tray on the bed, he pointed out;

"Call me strange but I think that it's the least I can do for my wife, especially when she's carrying my child."

Staring at the tray in disbelief, Jemma exclaimed;

"Aaron! You and Lottie can't expect me to eat ALL of this food. There's enough food on this tray to feed all of us, including my brothers."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Lottie instructed;

"We expect you to eat what you can of that, but I expect you to drink every bit of that milk, young lady."

Knowing when she was beaten, Jemma sighed in resignation as she nodded;

"Alright, alright, I give up. But if Allyn says that I'm fine, I want no arguments when I get out of this bed; fair enough?"

Picking up his coffee cup, Aaron nodded before taking a sip as he agreed;

"Fair enough."

Satisfied as he watched her eat a good portion of her breakfast, Aaron decided to tell her the news about her brother and his sister. As he picked up a piece of bacon, he casually mentioned;

"By the way, I thought that you'd like to know that, even before we found out what he was up to, Julie had decided not to marry Anderson."

Although she was deeply relieved for her sister in law's sake, Jemma couldn't help but stare at her husband in surprise as she demanded;

"So you talked with her then?"

Shaking his head, he explained between bites;

"I didn't have to, it seems that she talked with herself AND your brother."

Finishing the last of her milk, she glanced at him skeptically;

"She talked to Jeremy?"

When he shook his head, she ventured;

"Joshua?"

When he offered a negative response to her question, her eyes widened in shock as she ventured;

"She talked to Jason?"

Nodding, he clarified;

"Well, considering that she and he are in love with each other and are wanting to get married, I think that she made a wise decision in talking to him."

Jemma could only stare at him in shock as she demanded;

"So, Julie and Jason are in love, AND they admitted it to each other, AND they want to get married?"

Having picked up her knitting to occupy herself for a few minutes, Lottie nodded as she pointed out;

"Well, judging by what I saw when I walked into the kitchen last night, I would say that marriage is the next logical step."

Shaking her head in astonishment, Jemma couldn't help but offer;

"Well, I thought that there might be something between them, but.."

Emitting a slight chuckle, Lottie ventured;

"Oh trust me, sweetie, when I walked in on them last night, there was NOTHING between those two."

Casting her a chastising look, Aaron could only shake his head as Jemma observed;

"One minute she's considering marrying Anderson and now, not only are they in love but wanting to get married."

Turning to her husband, she began;

"Aaron?"

Unable to fathom the look he was seeing on her face, Aaron lifted one eyebrow quizzically as he asked cautiously;

"Yes, sweetheart?"

Finishing her query, she demanded;

"Just exactly how long was I unconscious, especially considering everything that seems to have taken place while I was out?"

Glancing to Lottie, in an effort to keep from doing so, Aaron found that she was having the same problem as they both found themselves laughing with amusement at Jemma's question. Shaking her head Lottie set her knitting aside as she rose from the rocking chair, placing a motherly kiss on the girl's forehead as she took the tray from her lap before observing;

"One thing that will never change about you, Jemma, no matter the situation you can always manage to find an amusing way of looking at it."

After Lottie had taken the tray and left the room, Aaron slid closer towards Jemma as he took her in his arms, still finding humor in her question as he offered;

"She's right you know, you really do have an amusing way of looking at things sometimes."

Offering a slight giggle at his good mood, she ventured;

"I'm glad that I'm able to keep you amused, honey."

Holding her closer, he nodded;

"You definitely do that, Jemma love."

Studying her for a moment as he held her, Aaron couldn't help but chuckle in amusement as Jemma demanded;

"Alright, what's so funny?"

Shaking his head, Aaron admitted;

"It's not exactly funny, it's just that, seeing you like this, with your hair all loose and free with you in your nightgown, just letting me hold you like this. Darlin, let's just say that there are sometimes when you are a contradiction in terms; one minute you just seem so young and innocent that I can't believe you're old enough to be my wife, let alone carrying our baby."

Leaning back slightly as she lifted her eyes to meet his as she began tracing the line of his jaw with her finger, she asked impishly;

"And other times?"

Lifting one eyebrow sarcastically, he demanded;

"You mean like right now? Well, other times you're just so naturally enticing and beguiling, that it's impossible to resist the temptation you present."

Placing her hand against his face, Jemma speculated;

"Aaron, my love, have you ever happened to consider that, just maybe, the reason you feel that way about me is that you love me as you do?

Even though he couldn't argue with her logic he couldn't help but ask;

"Alright, I'll give you that, especially since it happens to be very true. But tell me this my, little minx, what is it that you find so irresistible about me? I'm quite certain that, when you were a girl, you didn't see yourself settling down with someone as serious and grumpy as I can prove to be sometimes."

Sighing deeply, she met his questioning and curious gaze with a serious and somber one of her own as she asked quietly;

"Do you REALLY want me to answer that?"

Aaron couldn't help but look worried as he replied somberly;

"Despite how you just said that, yes I do."

Searching her eyes, he could see the serious look in their emerald green depths change to a look of infinite love and tenderness as she offered him a tender smile before confessing;

"Despite that gruff exterior that you try to maintain for everyone else's benefit,"

Placing her hand over his chest, she continued;

"I happen to know that what's behind it is a very kind, gentle, caring, and considerate man. As far as why I'm not able to resist you,"

Shrugging her shoulders slightly as her finger traced the line of an imaginary heart over his chest, she ventured;

"There are a lot of reasons that I could give you to explain that; for starters, the way that you look at me sometimes, as if I'm an answer to your prayer, the fact that you treat me as, not just your wife, but your partner, and your equal. If you want more, well, even though there are times that you keep things from me, when you do it's with the intention of protecting me, not hurting me, and if something is important to me then you make it important to you too. It's hard to resist someone who loves you THAT much you know?"

Giggling slightly, she admitted shyly;

"And, although I know it will inflate your ego, I'll admit it; it's rather hard to even want

to think about resisting you whenever you hold or kiss me and absolutely take my breath away, not to mention that boyish charm of yours my darling husband."

Pulling her closer into his embrace, Aaron pointed out;

"Just so YOU know, you are the answer to quite a few prayers that I've had, Jemma love."

Lowering his head, he claimed her mouth in a kiss that was meant to express his love for her, neither demanding or expecting anything in return except her love, which she happily returned. Since both were only paying attention to each other, neither noticed the bedroom door open until they heard the distinct sound of a female clearing her throat as Lottie breezed by Allyn to place her hands on her hips as she gave both a look that was a cross between chastisement and amusement as she ventured;

"I swear, the minute that baby is born I'm going to start a betting pool as to just how long it will be before you have another baby on the way."

Turning to Allyn, she offered;

"Dr. Wright, I think it's safe to say that you can count on delivering at least one baby each year from these two."

Releasing Jemma from his embrace, Aaron stood to offer Lottie a scathing look as he grumbled;

"Lottie, I swear, you're the only person I know who can make me feel like I should be ashamed as if I just got caught sparking on a girl's front porch by her father when all I was doing was kissing my wife in MY house."

Noticing Allyn, he greeted;

"Good morning, Dr. Wright."

Despite her normally serious manner, Allyn couldn't help but smile in good humor as she replied;

"Good morning."

Passing him on her way to the bed, she turned to address as she began examining Jemma;

"So how is my patient this morning?"

Before Jemma could speak, Aaron offered;

"She ate a good breakfast this morning and drank all of her milk. She had a nightmare last night but outside of that she seemed to sleep pretty good and I checked this morning her eyes were good and clear, not like they were yesterday."

Noticing the humorous look on Jemma's face as she remained silent, Allyn demanded;

"Is he ALWAYS like this?" '

Shaking her head, Jemma glanced past Allyn's shoulder as she met her husband's look of seriousness with an amused one of her own as she offered;

"No, usually he's much worse."

Glancing over her shoulder, Allyn stated sarcastically;

"Thank you for your observations, Dr. Stempel, but if you don't mind I'll take it from here."

Somewhat chagrined, Aaron remained silent as Allyn finished examining his wife before she turned to Jemma to inquire;

"Now, physically you seem fine and that bruise isn't as bad as what it could have been so there won't be any permanent damage. Since we've covered your physical condition I want to cover your emotional; honestly, how are you doing with everything? I know that, given how much Paregoric he put in that soda and what you went through, you were dealing with a lot. But, it seems as if you've slept most if not all of the effects of it off. So how are YOU feeling today?"

At the reminder, Jemma placed her hand protectively over the slight swell of her stomach as she demanded in a worried tone;

"What about the baby? Will, what he gave me hurt our baby?"

Shaking her head as he rushed to assure her, Allyn placed her hand over Jemma's as she promised;

"No, if you had been taking that for some time then I would be much more worried because of the long-term damage that could be possible, but even doubling the dose as he did, I don't believe that will be a problem. Especially considering that I see you as being one of the most conscientious mothers when it comes to taking care of yourself and your baby."

Breathing a sigh of relief at Allyn's statement, Jemma decided to lay her cards on the table as she admitted;

"You want to know how I feel about this?"

Allyn offered a silent nod as she remained quiet allowing Jemma the change to unburden herself of any guilt that she might be feeling, she listened as she began;

"I never wanted to have to be responsible for taking someone's life, Allyn. But, I also know that I didn't really take his life, he did it to himself. If I had not done what I did then he would have killed me, Aaron, our baby and, more than likely, Julie and even Jason. If you're asking if I feel guilty over it, no, I did at first but not after I thought about it, it was either him or us and I knew that Aaron was ready to sacrifice himself to make sure we were all safe, I couldn't let him do that."

Puzzled by her admission, Aaron demanded;

"But Jemma what were you trying to do, especially considering how you ran at him?"

Shaking her head in slight amusement, she admitted;

"I wasn't planning on going into that pit with him, honey. I THOUGHT that I would just push him into the pit but I didn't exactly count on just how unsteady I was."

Disbelief showing in his face, Aaron stood to place his hands on his hips as he asked in incredulousness;

"Jemma Elysia, are you telling me that..."

Offering a sheepish look of contrition she nodded as she confessed;

"I tripped when I pushed him."

Shaking his head in frustration, he chastised;

"Jemma, do you have any idea what would have happened if I hadn't of been right there and you had tried that?"

Offering a slight shrug, she pointed out;

"Honey, the only reason that I DID do that was because I wasn't going to let him kill you. I wasn't planning on going into the pit with him to make sure he got in there, not like SOME people, who shall remain nameless, were planning."

Even though she was finding amusement at the exchange between the couple, Allyn held her hands up in a placating manner as she ordered;

"Alright you two, suffice it to say that we need to be grateful that things have turned out as they have. Your baby is doing fine and on that note, I want to make a deal with you two."

Glancing at each other, Aaron and Jemma couldn't help but laugh as Jemma offered;

"I'm sorry that I scared you, but I did what I felt I had to to make sure that he wasn't going to kill you, just like you were willing to do what you were to make sure that me and the baby were safe. So I think we should just call it a truce, what do you think?"

Nodding as he leaned over to place a kiss on her forehead, he agreed;

"Truce."

Turning to Allyn he prompted;

"So what sort of deal are you proposing, Dr. Wright?"

Reaching into her bag, Ally produced an instrument before asking;

"Do you two know what this is?"

Curious as to where she was going with her inquiry, Jemma nodded as she offered;

"It's a stethoscope, although it looks a little different from what I've seen before."

Smiling brightly, Allyn explained;

"It is! As a matter of fact, my father sent it to me as a gift, it's the very latest model."

Happy for her new piece of medical equipment, especially given her excitement, Jemma and Aaron glanced at each other, their puzzlement showing in the look they exchanged as Aaron asked;

"Not that we're not happy about it for you, but what does that have to do with us?"

Eagerly, Allyn explained;

"I was doing a little research and it seems that, depending on how far along you are, it's very possible for us to be able to hear the baby's heartbeat through the stethoscope."

Her eyes widening in shocked surprise, Jemma demanded;

"Do you mean that if you put that against my stomach, you might be able to hear the baby's heartbeat?"

Nodding, Allyn ventured;

"If you're willing to let me try."

Contemplating the idea of hearing their child's heartbeat, Aaron shrugged;

"Sweetheart, I don't see the harm in it, even if you're not far enough along what harm could it do to try, especially if all she has to do it put it against your stomach."

Turning to Allyn, he asked in concern;

"That is ALL you have to do, isn't it?"

Holding her hand up as if taking a solemn oath, Allyn promised;

"Yes that's all there is to it, we just have to be quiet and see if we can hear it."

Turning to his wife, Aaron asked;

"What do you think, love?"

Jemma, eager for the opportunity, shoved the bed covers further down her lap as she jerked at the length of her gown to pull it up enough to expose her stomach as she demanded;

"Does that answer your question?"

Looking at Allyn she nodded;

"Go ahead, Allyn."

The room went silent as Allyn placed the tips in her ears before advising;

"I'm going to find your heartbeat first so I don't mistake the two if we hear the baby's."

With that she rubbed her hand lightly across the bell of the instrument to warm it slightly before placing it against Jemma's chest, moving it slightly, she nodded as she offered;

"Okay, now let's see if we can find your child's heartbeat."

Placing the bell against the lower part of the swell of Jemma's stomach, the look on her face became one of utter seriousness as she moved the piece slightly before a slight smile lifted the corners of her mouth before she held her hand out to Aaron to demand;

"Give me your hand."

Not questioning her order, he complied as she placed his hand over the bell of the instrument as she instructed;

"Don't move it."

Careful not to shift the instrument, Allyn pulled the tips form her ears before gently placing them in Jemma's ears as she watched the intense look that she wore turn to one of amazement and joy as her eyes widened and she brought both hands up to cover her mouth before turning to her husband to exclaim excitedly;

"I CAN HEAR IT! I CAN HEAR THE BABY'S HEARTBEAT!"

Not wanting her to miss out on the discovery, Jemma motioned for Allyn to hold the bell of the instrument as she took the stethoscope and offered it to Aaron;

Taking the instrument he followed his wife's example and placed the tips in his ears as he sat for a moment before finding himself in awe as he heard the rapid thumping

of their child's heart through the stethoscope. Listening for a minute or two more, Aaron handed the instrument back to Allyn before placing his arms around Jemma to kiss her gently before he offered softly;

"I know I've said it before, but I don't think that I'll ever be able to say it enough; thank you."

Turning to Allyn, he demanded;

"Since you wanted to make a deal to let us hear what we just heard, what do we owe you?"

Shaking her head, Allyn offered an affectionate smile as she stated;

"You just gave it to me; seeing the look on your faces at getting to hear the baby's heartbeat is payment enough."

Packing her bag, she rose from the bed and became all business as she instructed;

"Alright, since you seem to be doing so well, I don't see the harm in letting you up out of bed. Everything else is the same; no Windy until after the baby arrives, I want you resting and I don't see any harm in you're working at the mill with your husband if you'd like. Unless you have any problems I'll check up on you in a couple of weeks or so, oh and judging by the fact that little one is making his or her presence known, I would say that we should see he or she put in an appearance sometime in August, give or take."

Before either could say anything more Lottie entered and seeing Allyn preparing to leave, demanded;

"So how is our patient doing?"

Placing her hand on the older woman's shoulder as she was about to leave, she advised;

"She and the baby are just fine, Lottie. As a matter of fact she can get up if she wants to, but I've already told her, no Windy until she has the baby, she can even work in the mill office if she likes, as long as she rests and takes care of herself, but I don't see that as being a problem."

Once Allyn had left, Lottie crossed her arms stubbornly as she shook her head before conceding;

"Alright, Miss Stubborn, a deal is a deal. Allyn said you can get out of the bed, but so help me if you overdo it I'm going to turn you over my knee myself, well once the baby's born that is."

Noticing the ecstatic look that both seemed to be wearing, Lottie demanded;

"Not that you and the baby being alright isn't a good enough reason to look happy, but you two look as if you found a buried treasure."

Chuckling slightly, Aaron couldn't help but nod as he helped Jemma up from the bed before he offered;

"Well, Lottie, I suppose that you could say that, in a way, we did."

Puzzled by his statement, she turned to Jemma to plead;

"Jemma, what on earth does he mean?"

When Jemma approached her and placed her hands on the older woman's arms, Lottie couldn't help but notice the radiant glow about her or the happiness making her bright eyes shine even more brilliantly as she gushed;

"Lottie, Allyn used her new stethoscope and you will never believe it, but we were able to hear the baby's heartbeat."

Lottie couldn't help but smile lovingly at her as Jemma placed her hands over the slight swell of her stomach to venture laughingly;

"Judging by how fast his or her heartbeat was, this is going to be an active little thing."

Glancing from Lottie to Aaron, she declared;

"I'm going to get dressed, and then I think that it's time we decided just what should be done to turn that room into a proper nursery."

Lottie couldn't help but stare after her as she disappeared through the washroom door before turning to straighten the bed. Noticing the look of nostalgia that she wore, Aaron helped her with the bed as he asked quietly;

"Lottie, what are you thinking?"

A slight smile curling the corners of her mouth as she gave a pillow a final fluff, Lottie confided;

"I was just remembering something, Aaron. I remember seeing a look of happiness like that on someone else's face like that once."

His curiosity piqued, Aaron couldn't help but ask;

"Who?"

Wiping a tear from her eye, she stated;

"Julietta, when she was expecting Jemma, the first time that she felt her move she had that exact same reaction."

Finding himself as excited about the new discovery regarding their child as his wife, Aaron couldn't help but marvel at her enthusiasm over the idea of getting everything ready for their child's arrival. Once she had dressed for the day, he found himself curious as she stood in the doorway of the small bedroom that separated their bedroom from the larger guest room across from their bedroom, staring at the, mostly, empty space in contemplation. Coming up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her middle, careful not to squeeze her too tightly before questioning;

"Jemma love, what are you doing?"

Glancing over her shoulder as she folded her arms across his, she ventured;

"How hard do you think it would be to turn this room into a nursery?"

Glancing about the room, Aaron considered for a moment before countering;

"Is that what you want?"

Contemplating for a moment, she pointed out;

"Well, is it next to our bedroom, so it just makes sense for us to make this room the one for the baby."

Nodding his understanding, he placed a kiss on her cheek as he stated firmly;

"If you want this room turned into a nursery, then a nursery is what it's going to be."

Turning in his embrace she reached up to pull him closer as she kissed him before offering;

"Thank you."

Chuckling at the idea of her thanking him, Aaron shook his head as he pointed out;

"Sweetheart, there's hardly any need to thank me for helping turn a room in our house into a nursery for our child you know."

Lowering her eyes slightly as she busied herself fussing with his vest she ventured;

"Maybe I'm thanking you for what I'm hoping that you're about to do."

Placing his finger under her chin to lift her eyes to meet his as his face became a mask of curiosity, he couldn't help but demand;

"Alright, Jemma, what is it that you're hoping I'm about to do?"

Taking a deep breath she rushed;

"Agree to talk to Jason when he and Julie have supper with us this evening."

Hearing the frustration in the sigh that her husband emitted, Jemma tilted her head to the side before pleading;

"Please, for me."

Seeing the stubborn set to his jaw as he turned abruptly and without a word to descend the staircase, Jemma couldn't help but worry that she had made her husband, truly, angry. Standing in the doorway for a few moments, trying to formulate her next plan of action she noticed Lottie come out of the guest room with her bag in hand, prepared to return to her place. Seeing the look on Jemma's face she furrowed her brow in concern before asking;

"Jemma, sweetie, are you alright?"

Offering her a rueful smile, Jemma admitted;

"I'm fine, Lottie, but I think that I may well have just laid the groundwork for an argument between me and Aaron."

Both curious and worried, Lottie demanded;

"What do you mean?"

Emitting a frustrated sigh, Jemma explained;

"I asked Aaron to agree to talk to Jason when he and Julie come to supper tonight and I'm afraid he isn't very happy at the moment."

Offering her a look of amusement, Lottie quipped;

"Honey, he may seem gruff at the moment, but let me assure you, I don't think that there's ANY moment when that man isn't happy with you. I'm about to head back to my place so I think you two should have a very LONG discussion, don't you?"

Nodding, Jemma agreed;

"Yes, I do."

Following the woman downstairs to the door, Jemma hugged her tightly as she offered;

"Thank you for everything, Lottie, as usual."

Patting the younger woman's cheek, Lottie smiled lovingly as she returned;

"And you're quite welcome, sweetie, as usual."

With that, Lottie left, leaving Jemma to set her resolve as she made her way to Aaron's study where he was going over some paperwork, having elected to take the day off from the mill after the events with Anderson. Jemma knew that the paperwork he was busying himself with wasn't anything vital, just something to occupy himself with, so to that end she walked into the room to ask quietly;

"Honey, are you mad at me?"

Looking up from the papers in his hand and despite his frustration, Aaron sighed in resignation as he shook his head;

"No, not really."

Pushing his chair back, Aaron motioned for her to come closer. When she complied, he reached out to take her hand before gently pulling her onto his lap as he tried to explain himself;

"First, I'm sorry for how I reacted upstairs, You've been through a lot and the last thing that you need is for me to act the way I just did to you. Now, as far as why I reacted the way that I did; sweetheart, do you remember when we both made the decision that we were ready to get married?"

Accepting her silent nod as an answer, he continued;

"I know that Jason wants to talk to me about marrying Julie, and technically, I know that my blessing or consent isn't something that they require, not as we did. But I'm sorry, I can't help being a little resentful because of the hard time that he gave us and, I suspect, part of the reason for that was because he and Julie ended up falling into their own trap when they pretended to fall for each other to trick me into agreeing to give Julie her share of our inheritance and buy out her share of the mill. I think that, in an odd sort of way, Jason was mad at me for agreeing to give in because that meant Julie was free to do as she pleased, even though that was the goal that they started out with."

Shaking his head in slight frustration, he confessed;

"I'm sorry, love, but you have to let me come to grips with this, especially given how much you suffered as the result of that. I know that was never Jason's goal and maybe he didn't even realize at the time the reason he was being so difficult and believe me, I most assuredly don't want to see Julie go through what you did, but I just have to come to terms with it."

Placing his hand on her cheek as he searched her eyes, he pleaded;

"Can you understand now why I feel the way I do?"

Despite the hint of sadness he found, he could also see her sincerity as she nodded. However, he couldn't help but notice how her hint of sadness swiftly turned to shock and surprise as her eyes widened and her body seemed to stiffen somewhat. Worried, he demanded;

"Jemma, darlin what is it? Are you alright?"

Noticing how the look seemed to turn into one of curiosity and contemplation just before her mouth turned up in a bright smile that lit her eyes, he couldn't help but wonder at her behavior as she grabbed his hand and placed it on the lower part of her stomach. Aaron's uncertainty at his wife's behavior soon turned to understanding as he felt the small slight flutter, similar to a spasm against his fingers, moving his hand slightly he felt the same motion against his palm. His amazement at the discovery lit his eyes as he looked into Jemma's to ask;

"Is that the first time that's happened?"

Jemma couldn't help but laugh joyfully as she nodded eagerly;

"Yes, at least the first time that I noticed. It took me a minute to realize just what it was, but then I remembered what Allyn and Lottie had told me about how they wouldn't be surprised if the baby started moving now that I started showing."

Seeing the sheer joy in her face at their child's latest development, he couldn't help but marvel aloud;

"This has certainly been a day of miracles; first we get to hear his or her heartbeat and now we've felt he or she move."

Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled Jemma closer as he kissed her deeply before she shifted slightly to lay her head against his shoulder, content to be held as she was and her husband content to do so. Shifting her eyes to glance up as she looped her arms around his neck, she lifted her head a bit as she asked;

"Aaron?"

Knowing his wife's character and her desire to see those she loved as happy as she was, he already knew what she was about to say as he prompted;

"What is it, sweetheart?"

Bracing herself as she took a deep breath, she launched in;

"I know that the road we took to get here wasn't an easy one, believe me I know. But, honey, I'm sorry, but no matter what we've been through I would go through it all over again and much more if that's what it took, because no matter how bad what we've been through has been, it's never outweighed how much I love you or how blessed I am to be spending my life with you and to be carrying your child."

Even though he knew she was opening a doorway to petition for her brother, Aaron also knew that she wouldn't say anything untrue or manipulative to sway him by playing on his emotions. A declaration such as the one that she had just made was one that, he knew without a doubt, came from her heart and soul, especially when it came to her feelings regarding her love for him and their child. To that end, he pushed the hair that had fallen across her shoulder behind her as he observed;

"Not that I'm not overjoyed to hear how happy I make you and how blessed you feel, and just so you know, I would gladly go through whatever we have and much more to have you as my wife and the mother of my child, because you have no idea just how much of a blessing you are to me, especially considering that I love you more than words can ever say. But I have the feeling that you have a specific reason for your declaration, don't you, Jemma love?"

Noticing the look of hopefulness that filled the emerald depths of her eyes, he wasn't surprised when she ventured;

"Despite the obstacles that we've had to overcome, considering just how much we've been blessed, don't you think that we should help pay that forward so that someone else has the same chances that we've had? I know you love Julie, just as much as I love Jason, and I know that you want to see her happy, just like I do my brother. I know that he gave us a hard time, but we also now know a large part of that reason and he also helped to make certain that there weren't any problems when we got married."

Although he already knew the answer, Aaron placed his finger under her chin as she searched her eyes before questioning;

"Alright, love, what do you want me to do?"

Softly, she pleaded;

"Hear Jason out tonight and give Julie your blessing."

Despite his attempt to maintain a somber and stoic visage, Aaron couldn't help but chuckle as he grinned broadly before embracing her as he kissed her soundly. Raising his head, he gave her a gentle push from his lap as he rose from his chair before relenting;

"Alright, sweetheart, and just to keep you from worrying about it, I won't even give Jason a hard time, at least not as hard of a time as I had originally planned."

Her eyes widening in shock at his statement, she demanded in disbelief;

"Aaron Stempel! Do you mean to tell me that you had planned, all along, on talking to Jason and giving him and Julie your blessing?"

At his nod of affirmation, Jemma placed her hands on her hips to question;

"You planned to do so all along and you didn't tell me; why on earth not?"

Resting against the corner of the desk, Aaron crossed his arms over his chest before a mischievous smile crossed his features as he confessed;

"Honestly? Because I happen to enjoy when you try to 'convince' me that something's a good idea."

Reaching out and taking her hand, he pulled her to him as he placed a kiss on her forehead before suggesting;

"Now, I think we better start seeing to supper, don't you?"

Shaking her head in astonishment, Jemma couldn't help but wonder just what the evening was going to bring once Jason and Julie arrived. 


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

Julie sat, trying to contain her nervousness, as Candy helped her arrange her hair as they dressed in anticipation for their dinner dates with Jason and Jeremy. Making certain that the final hairpin was secure to hold Julie's silver/gold tresses in place, Candy asked quietly;

"So do you think that Jason will try and talk to Aaron tonight?"

Releasing a pent up sigh of nervousness as she offered a slight shrug, Julie ventured;

"I don't know. He wanted to wait until he was certain that Jemma and the baby were alright and given how she insisted that we join them for supper, I'm sure she must be feeling better. There isn't any way in this world that Aaron would let her cook a meal for all of us if she didn't feel up to it."

Nodding in satisfaction as she inspected her handiwork, Candy vented her curiosity as she complimented;

"Julie, could I ask you something sort of, personal?"

At her silent nod of consent, Candy ventured;

"Well it's just that, you're just so different from Aaron."

Turning to cast a knowing smile at her friend, Julie placed her hand over Candy's as she offered;

"You want to know how it is that I'm as fair as Aaron is dark?"

Relieved to have her question phrased for her, Candy nodded as Julie explained;

"That's simple, my mother was our father's second wife."

Somewhat shocked by the revelation, Candy questioned;

"You mean that you don't have the same mother?"

Shaking her head, Julie explained;

"No, Aaron's mother died in childbirth when he was about seven or eight, unfortunately, the baby didn't survive either. Then about a year or so later, our father married my mother and then a year or so after that, I was born. From what I understand, she was a very beautiful woman who had dark hair and eyes, just like our father did. My mother was originally from Sweden and she was very fair complected, Aaron told me that she had hair even lighter than mine and the bluest eyes."

Fascinated by what she had just learned, Candy speculated;

"Well, that certainly explains why he's so protective of Jemma in her condition."

Tilting her head to the side in curiosity as she asked softly;

"What about your mother, Julie."

Turning a sad smile to Candy, Julie confided;

"My mother died when I was five of pneumonia."

Wrinkling her brow slightly, Candy confessed;

"Julie I have to admit, I'm curious about the whole will thing, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Shrugging slightly, she offered;

"I don't mind Candy, besides, we're going to be sisters in law so it's all in the family."

Turning in her chair she explained;

"When I was about ten years old, Father decided that I should be sent to boarding school, Aaron had already finished his education and had set out on his own. I think, with Father being older, he wasn't sure how to raise a daughter and Aaron was already twenty-one; anyway, father decided to seize on the opportunity that the lumber industry here was providing, so he invested in the sawmill, which, he eventually owned completely. He wanted someone he trusted to run it so he offered Aaron the opportunity to run the mill, to be honest, Father had to do quite a bit of cajoling to get Aaron to accept and the only thing that finally made him agree was that Father agreed that he was in charge and given the distance between here and San Francisco, Aaron felt like he would need to be able to make decisions without waiting for approval, as you can see and as our father saw, Aaron has excellent business instincts. Anyway, when I was about sixteen or so, Father passed away and the will he left gave me half of everything, including the mill, but there was a stipulation that I was not to receive my share until I married and Aaron had to approve of my choice. The rest, you know."

Candy sat for a moment, processing what she had just learned, before speculating;

"I guess that explains a lot about Aaron's personality, doesn't it? I mean why he tends to be so overbearing and controlling at times."

Biting at her thumbnail a moment she ventured aloud;

"Do you think that Jemma knows any of this?"

Shrugging, Julie shook her head;

"I don't know, but I will tell you this, if there was any one person in the world that Aaron would tell about this, it would be her. Those two aren't capable of keeping secrets from each other, or haven't you noticed? Even when he tries for, what he considers, Jemma's own good, he still can't and she's the same way with him; she can't hide anything from him, no matter how hard she tries."

Finding a bit of amusement, Candy considered;

"I wonder if that's a Bolt trait, Jeremy is the same way."

Before they could say anything more, Biddie came rushing up the stairs to inform them, in her usual soft tone;

"Julie, Candy, Jason, and Jeremy are here."

Offering her hand to Julie, Candy motioned towards the stairway as she ventured;

"Come on, maybe things will go better than you hope."

Praying that her friend was right and knowing that if her sister in law and future sister in law had any say in the matter, it would be, Julie took Candy's hand as they made their way downstairs.

Although they could have covered the distance between their cabin and the dorm much fast than what they did, Jason and Jeremy took their time on their way to pick up Julie and Candy. Deciding to break the silence, Jeremy asked casually;

"So are you going to try and talk to Aaron about you and Julie tonight?"

Offering his brother a wary glance, he huffed somewhat as he admitted;

"I'm going to TRY and talk to Aaron about Julie and me. Julie said that she talked to him when she tended to his wound, so he knows that I asked her to marry me, but..."

Nodding, Jeremy offered;

"I understand, you want his blessing for Julie's sake."

Stopping a moment, Jason clarified;

"Yes, but more than that, because it's the decent thing to do."

Offering his brother a knowing look, he speculated;

"And, just maybe, because he paid you that same respect when he asked to marry Pixie?"

Nodding, Jason confessed;

"I'll admit, that at the time, I was furious at the nerve he had to ask for permission to marry Jemma."

Shaking his head, Jeremy speculated;

"That's not why you were mad, Jason, and you know it. You were mad because you blamed him for giving in to Julie, especially since that meant she was free to do as she pleased and she went back to San Francisco. Add to that, you were mad because you had no idea about Aaron and Jemma, let alone the fact that they were in love. Face it; you and Aaron had always gone back and forth and you saw that as the ultimate one up, on him."

Although he wanted to deny what his youngest brother was saying, Jason could only nod sadly as he admitted;

"You're right, Jeremy. I wish that I could say that you're wrong but you're not, I just hope and pray that Aaron isn't as petty as I tried to be."

Even though for his brother and Julie's sake, he hoped that would not be the case, Jeremy couldn't help but ask;

"Jason, what if Aaron refuses to give his blessing? What will you and Julie do then?"

Placing his hand on his brother's shoulder, Jason sighed in resignation;

"Well, Jeremy, we cross that bridge, if and when, we come to it?

Finishing their journey to the dormitory, once Julie and Candy appeared the two couples took their time as they made their way to Aaron and Jemma's house. Allowing Jeremy and Candy to walk ahead, giving them a bit of privacy, Jason couldn't help but ask;

"Julie, darling, have you considered what we're going to do if Aaron refuses to give his blessing. I have to be honest, when he asked for Jemma's hand, I gave him a rather difficult time, although considering their present circumstance, I'm hoping that he won't hold that against me."

Casting him a sideways glance of sarcasm, Julie quipped;

"I heard about the 'hard time' that you gave Aaron. As far as what we'll do, I have nothing to lose financially and I'm past the age of consent, so it's not as if we're forced to elope and I don't need his approval or permission. In quite a few ways, I'm in a much better position then what Jemma was in similar circumstances."

Stopping to turn her towards him, he speculated;

"But, you would like his blessing none the less."

Nodding, she admitted;

"Yes, but if needs be, I can live without it."

Wrapping his arms around her, Jason hugged her tightly before kissing hr soundly as he prayed;

"Hopefully, it won't have to come to that."

Taking her arm he pulled her along and silently prayed for that result.

Once he had finished dressing, Aaron hurried to the kitchen to see if there was anything he could do to help Jemma. Despite his concern that she might have been pushing herself, especially given the events of the day before, he couldn't help the amazement he felt as he entered the kitchen. Watching her as she was putting the finishing touches on the cake that she had baked as she finished frosting it, he came up behind her to offer;

"That looks delicious! Not that all of them aren't wonderful, but what kind is that one?"

Giving the top a final decorative swirl, she answered;

"It's a buttercream cake with butter and vanilla cream frosting."

Turning, she held the wooden spatula out to offer;

"Want a taste?"

Taking the spatula to taste the frosting, Aaron couldn't help but remark;

"Sweetheart, this doesn't just look delicious, it IS delicious."

Satisfied that her cake was ready, she set it aside before turning to open the oven door to pull out the two baked chickens that she had prepared to feed everyone. Seeing her intention, Aaron shook his head as he ordered;

"I don't think so, young lady."

Taking the potholders from her hands he reached in and took the heavy baking dish from the oven to set on the towel she had placed on the counter to protect its surface. Closing the oven door, he turned to kiss her forehead as he touched the tip of her nose with his finger before declaring;

"I meant what I said, Jemma Elysia, you are NOT to lift anything heavy and the farther along you get and the more you show, the less you are to pick up; understand?"

Sarcastically rolling her eyes in a manner that he knew too well, she quipped;

"Yes, Sir."

Once they finished with setting the table, Jemma stood back to make certain that she had not forgotten anything when they heard a knock on the front door. Seeing the speculative look on his wife's face, Aaron leaned over to give her a quick kiss as he advised;

"It's going to be alright, Jemma love, I promise."

With that he left to answer the door, leaving Jemma shaking her head as she muttered to herself;

"I certainly hope and pray that you're right, honey. I just pray that you're right."

Before she had time to contemplate any further what the evening's events might hold, she heard several voices in the living room. Satisfied that the table was ready, she joined her husband to greet their guests. One of the first things that Jemma noticed was her, usually confident, oldest brother's nervousness, although he managed to push it aside when he noticed her appearance. When Jason had turned to greet his sister, he had expected to find her looking, at least, a bit tired; however, that wasn't the picture that she presented. Shaking his head in amazement as he gave her a warm hug, he demanded;

"How are you feeling, Pixie?"

Despite the slight frustration that she felt at being asked the same question so many times, she simply sighed in resignation as she told him;

"I'm just fine, Jason."

Placing her hand on the slight swell of her stomach, she added in amusement;

"Actually, we're both fine."

Jason searched her face and couldn't help but shake his head as he observed;

"You know it's amazing, Pixie, but you are absolutely glowing. I had thought that after what happened yesterday that..."

Placing her hand on his arm, Jemma stopped him as she declared;

"What happened yesterday has nothing to do with today, and I refuse to let it. It's over and done with and everything is fine."

Glancing from her brother to Julie she couldn't help but venture;

"Actually, from what I understand, it's a little bit better than 'just fine', unless I'm mistaken."

Seeing the somewhat shocked look on their faces, Jemma couldn't help but laugh, although that stopped as her eyes widened in surprise before she called excitedly;

"Aaron!"

Closing the distance between them, Aaron couldn't contain the excitement in his voice as he asked;

"Did you feel it again?"

Unable to contain the smile that came to her face, Jemma nodded eagerly as she took his hand and placed it over where she had felt the movement. Despite having experienced it earlier, Aaron still couldn't help the sense of wonder he experienced at the realization that the movements were the result of the child that he and Jemma had created through their love for each other. Noticing the strange looks that they were getting Jemma explained;

"This is one of the reasons why I refuse to let what happened infringe on what's going on now. Thanks to Allyn and the new stethoscope that she got from her father, we were able to hear the baby's heartbeat this morning, and then earlier today, we felt the baby move, like he or she is doing now. And, according to Allyn, we should be solving the mystery of whether or not we will have a son or daughter sometime in August."

Candy and Julie turned to each other in excitement as Julie asked shyly;

"Could I?"

Nodding, as she approached, Jemma took Julie's hand to place it over where she felt the baby's movement. Julie stood still for a moment before her blue eyes widened in amazement as she turned to Candy to describe;

"It's a little bit like butterfly wings."

Seeing the look on Candy's face, Jemma couldn't help but laugh a little as she motioned for her to come closer. Eagerly, Candy extended her hand and placed it where Julie had before nodding her agreement;

"You're right, Julie, it does remind you of butterfly wings."

Even though he wasn't surprised by the women's eagerness to share in the experience of the baby moving, Aaron couldn't help but find himself surprised as Jeremy asked shyly;

"Aaron, do you think it would be alright if..."

Glancing towards Jemma and seeing her slight nod of agreement, Aaron motioned towards his wife as he offered;

"I don't see why not, Jeremy. After all, this is your niece or nephew."

Seeing how hesitant and shy her brother was, Jemma took his hand and placed it on her stomach and could only smile at the look that came to his eyes just before his face broke out in a wide grin as he questioned;

"What's it feel like on the inside, Pixie?"

Trying to find a way to describe the sensation, Jemma thought for a moment before trying to explain it;

"Well, do you know how when you hang sheets out on the clothesline to dry and the wind blows them and they sort of ruffle? That's the best way that I know to describe it, it's like a ruffling feeling inside."

Having remained silent for the moment, Jason stepped closer to ask quietly;

"May I?"

Taking his hand, Jemma offered;

"You're his or her uncle too you know."

Jason stood utterly still for a moment, not even daring to breathe until he felt the slight fluttering motion pushing against his hand. Meeting his sister's eyes, he couldn't help but notice the radiant happiness that he saw glowing in them as a nostalgic smile crossed his face as he recalled;

"You know something, Pixie, there was one other time that I felt something like that."

Seeing the puzzled look on Jemma's face and her own curiosity piqued, Julie demanded;

"And just when was that, Jason Bolt?"

Seeing an underlying tinge of jealousy in her blue eyes, Jason couldn't deny finding a certain amount of amusement as he held up his hand in a placating manner before confessing;

"Calm down, Julie, I can assure you that you have nothing to be jealous of."

Motioning towards his sister, he explained;

"When our mother was expecting Jemma, she was, probably, about as far along as Pixie is now, I came home from the logging camp to get Father's dinner. Joshua was in school and Jeremy was with Father and Me at the camp, anyway, just as she was finishing with wrapping up our food she seemed to get very excited, but I couldn't understand why. I was afraid that maybe there was something wrong with the baby, but no, she grabbed my hand just like Pixie did and put it against her stomach and told me to wait a moment and then I felt something similar."

Jemma couldn't help but ask in curiosity;

"But didn't Mother let you feel whenever Joshua or Jeremy moved?"

Nodding, Jason agreed;

"Yes, but I wasn't quite old enough when she was expecting them to appreciate the experience as what I was and did when she was expecting you. Not to mention, there was a difference; Josh and Jeremy, they seemed to tap against my hand, like they were kicking. You, well you seemed to flutter, like Julie said, like butterfly wings."

Putting his hand on his sister's cheek before placing a kiss on her forehead, he pointed out;

"Although, in your case, you were a bit more consistent and subtle in letting your presence be known."

Aaron couldn't help but shake his head in amusement as he observed quietly;

"Like mother like daughter."

Uncertain as to what she had heard, Jemma asked;

"What did you say, honey?"

Shaking his head, Aaron offered;

"Nothing, sweetheart, except I'm starving, why don't we eat?"

Motioning to the dining room, she invited;

"Help yourselves."

Letting everyone precede them into the dining room, Jemma turned to face Aaron as she crossed her arms over her middle in a stubborn gesture before pinning him with an expectant look. Amused by her determination, He placed his arm around her shoulders before placing a kiss against her cheek as he met her look with one of sincerity before demanding;

"Have I ever broken a promise to you?"

Shaking her head slowly, she confirmed;

"No, you never have."

Kissing her soundly, he ventured;

"Then it's not very likely that I'm about to start doing that now, now is it?"

Unable to prevent the slight smile that found it's .way to her mouth, she admitted;

"No, I don't believe it is, my love."

Motioning towards the dining room, she suggested;

"I don't know about you, but your child and I happen to be very, VERY hungry."

Making a sweeping gesture with his arm, Aaron invited;

"After you, darlin."

Although the meal his wife had prepared was, as usual, wonderful, judging by how much work Jason seemed to be putting into not appearing nervous, Aaron was certain that his brother in law had not enjoyed the food nearly as much as everyone else. Deciding that, especially after the discoveries that he and Jemma had been blessed with regarding their child, he felt more than a little inclined to be generous, Aaron decided  
to end the man's suffering as he offered;

"Jason, I believe that you mentioned wanting to discuss something?"

Surprised by his directness, Jason stared at Aaron in shock as he simply nodded before venturing;

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do."

Candy, ever the diplomat, turned to Jeremy to suggest;

"Why don't we help Jemma and Julie clear the table to get ready for dessert?"

Turning to glance at each other conspiratorially and reaching the same decision, both women shook their heads as Jemma declared;

"That's nice of you, Candy, but Jemma and Julie aren't going anywhere."

Motioning towards her oldest brother as she braced her elbow on the table to rest her chin in her open hand she prompted;

"Please, Jason, by all means, continue."

Following her sister in law's example,

Julie leaned back in her chair before pushing her plate back to fold her arms on the tabletop before suggesting;

"Yes, by all means, please do continue."

Shocked by his sister's and fiancee's attitudes, Jason turned to Julie to ask;

"Julie, do you mean to say that you plan on just sitting there while I talk to your brother?"

Offering a slight shrug, Julie's expression remained impassive as she ventured;

"Well, I certainly think that I have the right, don't you; or do you plan on always sending me out of the room while decisions regarding my future are discussed?"

Seeing her point, Jason could only stammer;

"No, of course not, darling, but it's just that..."

Seeking to change the direction of the conversation, he turned to his sister to demand;

"Jemma Elysia, do you mean to tell me that you plan on just sitting there while Aaron and I talk?"

Nodding, she confirmed;

"Yes, I do."

Tilting her head slightly she advised;

"Julie and I were discussing it earlier, and we've decided that, since I was left out of a similar discussion that you and Aaron had not so very long ago where I was the center of the topic, that there was no earthly reason why she and I shouldn't sit in on this one. I'm here for moral support."

Turning to his brother in law for some type of backing out of embarrassed frustration, Jason demanded;

"She's your wife, can't you do something?"

Directing his glance towards the opposite end of the dining room table, Aaron offered;

"Sweetheart, would you like to leave the table while Jason and I talk?"

Aaron found himself using all of his self-control to keep from bursting out in laughter as she lifted her chin from her hand to shake her head as she smiled sweetly before responding;

"No, darling, I wouldn't, I'm quite comfortable and content here. But thank you for asking."

Turning to Jason he shrugged slightly as he held his hands up in a placating manner before pointing out;

"Sorry, Jason I tried. I can hardly ask my expectant wife to leave her own table, especially if she's comfortable."

Realizing that, given the difficult time that he had given Aaron and Jemma when Aaron had asked to have a similar discussion, he was actually getting off rather light, Jason let a sigh of resignation escape before turning to Aaron and expressing;

"Aaron, there's no sense in a long speech, I think that the best way to do this is to be upfront and honest."

Taking Julie's hand in his, he offered her a tender smile before turning back to Aaron, his face once more a mask of seriousness as he continued;

"Julie and I are in love with each other and we'd like your blessing to get married."

Although he fully intended to keep his promise to Jemma about the issue, Aaron felt he had more than enough right to question;

"Just for my own curiosity, does this mean that you two are serious about getting married THIS time? I'd like to think that you are, especially considering that I can't think of anything else that you two would have a reason to trick me about."

Both looked somewhat chagrined as they hung their heads in an embarrassed manner before Jason met Aaron's questioning look with a determined one of his own as he confessed;

"That was my idea, Aaron, don't blame Julie. She wanted to be independent and rather than wanting to argue with you over the issue especially given that I, technically, had no right to, I tried to help her. When I saw how you were reacting to the idea of me courting her and then our fight, I figured that you would be more than willing to give Julie her share of the inheritance and buy her out of her half of the mill just for the sake of sending her back to San Francisco to keep her from marrying me."

Leaning forward in her chair Julie looked from her brother to her sister in law as she pleaded;

"It's just as much my fault as it is Jason's. I could have said no and I could have refused, but..."

Looking her brother in the eye she stated bluntly;

"I was tired of trying to find a husband that would please your standards of what you thought a husband should be and I wanted to be able to live my life without always seeking your approval or your dictates."

Placing her hand over Jemma's after she brushed a tear away, Julie vowed;

"Had I had any idea at all what Blake was planning I NEVER would have even given him the time of day, let alone brought him here. I kept trying to tell myself that I was in love with him because of all of his intelligence and he was just so charming, but the truth is that, when he was around, I would forget about my time with Jason. But when I got here I knew that I would never forget him."

Covering Julie's hand with her own, Jemma sympathized as she ventured;

"Basically, in trying to trick Aaron by making him think you were in love with each other, you ended up falling in love with each other."

As both nodded their agreement, a thought suddenly occurred to her as she pinned her husband with a knowing look before asking, although she already knew the answer;

"That fight that you two had, aside from working off some stream, would you care to tell me just exactly why the two of you agreed to it?"

Resigning himself, especially given the look of determination that she wore, that she wasn't going to let the matter drop, Aaron, admitted;

"Because I was angry, I had been waiting for so long to marry you but I knew that couldn't happen without Jason's consent. It's no secret now just how much in love we were and, for that matter still are, yet we were having to keep everything hushed up. Yet, Jason comes along and openly courts MY sister and I was supposed to be alright with it? I wasn't exactly thinking too straight at that time, I mean I used the excuse of sparking Biddie so I had an excuse to follow them to Lover's Lagoon. No offense to Biddie, but I promise SHE was not the girl I would have liked to take up there, Jemma love."

All the pieces falling into place, Jeremy glanced from his brother to his brother in law as he theorized;

"And then when Aaron approached Jason about marrying you, Pixie, he was angry because he felt like Aaron stood in the way of him and Julie, despite how it started out."

Stunned, Candy demanded;

"So do you mean to say that Aaron acted the way he did about Jason and Julie because he was so angry over not being able to marry Jemma right then? And Jason acted the way he did because he blamed Aaron for him and Julie being apart?"

Seeing the looks of chagrin on both men's faces as they diverted their eyes, Candy turned to Jemma and Julie before admitting;

"Well, now I understand why you two didn't want to leave them to discuss this on their own."

Shaking her head, Julie turned to her sister in law to ponder aloud;

"How have you managed with these two all this time."

Rising from her chair to begin clearing the table, Jemma turned to her sister in law and offered;

"Patience, lots and lots of patience."

After motioning for Candy and Julie to follow her example, Jemma turned to her husband and brother to demand in a calm voice;

"So now that we have all possible pent up hostilities out in the open, do you two think it possible that you can have your discussion, calmly and rashly?"

At both men's silent nods of agreement, she offered them both a smile as she approached the kitchen door before adding;

"Good, but if you find temptation proves too great, please take it outside; I'm rather fond of the dining room being intact."

Jeremy shook his head as he grinned at the two before chuckling as he cleared the last of the dishes to follow the women to the kitchen. Rolling his eyes at his brothers jeering, Jason found himself surprised when Aaron asked;

"Does rolling your eyes like that happen to be a Bolt family trait, or is Jemma just more proficient at it than the rest of you?"

Finding amusement at the question, Jason offered;

"I think she taught us a thing or two in that department, Aaron, but considering that she's excelled at sarcasm since she learned how to talk, are you surprised?"

Aaron couldn't help but laugh at the observation, but he found his mirth turning serious as Jason turned to him with a look of contrition before offering;

"Aaron, I truly am sorry that I gave you such a hard time about marrying Jemma; to tell you the truth, I'm very glad that you did marry her."

Shocked by his brother in law's admission, Aaron could only stare at Jason as he demanded;

"You are?"

Folding his arms across the tabletop, Jason nodded as he confessed;

"Yes, I am. Pixie is happier than what I could have ever hoped for and I know that it's because of you and the love that you have for her and that she has for you. You let her just be herself, not your wife or our sister, just Jemma."

Deciding that it was time for his own confession, Aaron admitted;

"I fell in love with her for just being herself, Jason, only a stupid man would marry a woman and try to change what it was about her that made him fall in love with her in the first place. All I ever want her to be is just what she is; herself."

Shaking his head, Aaron continued;

"It's not all your fault, Jason, I should have talked to you when I realized how I felt about Jemma and when I knew that I wanted to marry her. But, what's done is done and considering that Jemma and I are married and we have an obviously, very, active baby on the way, I have no right to hold any kind of grudge or anger about it."

Leaning back in his chair as he braced his elbow on the arm of the chair as he rested his chin on his fist, Aaron considered for a moment before turning to Jason to demand;

"There's something I want to say and I want you to hear me out; alright?"

Jason remained silent as he nodded his encouragement for Aaron to continue. His tone brooking no doubts as to his seriousness, Aaron began;

"Jason, you know that I waited for sometime before even asking Jemma to marry me. Part of the reason was because of how young she was, another part of it was because I wanted to make sure that she really knew what being in love truly was, still, another part was because I wanted to make sure that she was as serious about marrying me as I was about marrying her. In short, I wanted to make sure that she understood just how serious marriage truly is, I know that a lot of the brides talk about the fairy tale aspect of it, they don't look at the reality of it just the romance."

Uncertain as to where his statement was going, Jason observed;

"Well, Aaron, that's understandable, you've always been a serious man."

Nodding his agreement, Aaron pointed out;

"That's my point, Jason. Marriage is something that's meant to be taken seriously, yes love is important because it's a gift and two people who share that gift, like Jemma and I do, are very fortunate and should never take that gift for granted. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

As though struck by a sudden flash of lightning which illuminated the issue for him, Jason's eyes widened in realization as she shook his head before declaring;

"Yes, Aaron I do. I can promise you that I take this very seriously; there hasn't been a day since she left that I've not thought about her, and you, of all people, know that I wouldn't have asked her to marry me if I didn't take the subject very seriously. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to make sure that Julie is well cared for and you never have to doubt that she married for love."

Chuckling slightly as he shook his head, Aaron rose from his chair and motioned for Jason to follow him.

Having decided to give Jemma a break from doing the dishes out of their gratitude for the meal she had prepared for them, Julie, Candy, and Jeremy finished washing, drying and putting away the dishes while Jemma gathered the dessert plates and made a fresh pot of coffee. Gathering the coffee cups together, Julie kept glancing towards the kitchen door as she observed;

"Well, at least they're not yelling or fighting."

Nodding, as she gathered the silverware for dessert, Jemma offered;

"Given some of the more interesting 'conversations' that I've heard those two have over the years, I would take THAT as encouragement."

Turning to face her sister in law, Julie asked in curiosity;

"Was there a lot of tension when Aaron asked Jason about marrying you."

Having taken a sip of coffee from the cup that Candy had just handed him, Jeremy found himself coughing and sputtering as he choked on some of the liquid. Seeing the look of censure on Candy's face as well as the look of amusement on his sister's face, Jeremy offered a sheepish half-smile as he apologized;

"Sorry."

Meeting her sister in law's look of curiosity, Jemma pleaded;

"I think that is a topic of conversation that we'll discuss later if you don't mind. I've had far too happy of a day to dwell on certain things, besides this isn't about me it's about you."

Noticing the slight haunting look in Jemma's eyes, Julie was debating pursuing the subject when the kitchen door swung open as Aaron, followed by Jason, entered the room. Everyone seemed to freeze in expectation as Aaron nodded towards the coffee pot on the stove before asking his wife;

"Is that a fresh pot of coffee, love?"

At her silent nod, he requested;

"Could I have some please?"

Sparing her sister in law a quick glance, Jemma took one of the mugs from the counter to pour a cup before approaching her husband to hand it to him, her eyes full of question. Accepting the cup, he offered;

"Thank you, love."

Turning to Julie, Aaron demanded;

"Out of curiosity, Julie, do you have anything to wear or will you, Jemma and the brides need to get busy and start sewing you a wedding dress?"

Both Julie and Jason exchanged confused looks until Aaron, after taking a sip of his coffee, glanced at Jason to suggest;

"I guess you had better get busy building a new cabin, Jason. That is, of course, unless you intend to have Joshua and Jeremy sharing your cabin with you and my sister after you're married."

Julie's eyes lit with delight as she approached her brother to ask excitedly;

"Aaron, do you mean it? You're giving us your blessing?"

Nodding, he wasn't surprised as she hugged him tightly before brushing past him to jump up into Jason's waiting arms before he kissed her soundly. Placing his arm around Jemma, Aaron motioned towards the couple as he asked;

"Does that remind you of anything, sweetheart?"

Glancing down pointedly at her stomach, Jemma glanced at him sarcastically as she quipped;

"Trust me, darling, I don't need them to remind me of anything, between you and the baby, it's never exactly far from my mind you know."

Remembering that they were not alone, Jason and Julie glanced around as Jason offered his brother in law a look of sincerity as he stated;

"Thank you, Aaron."

Unable to help the look of adoration that crossed his face as he pulled Jemma closer to his side, Aaron shook his head as he pointed out;

"There's no need to thank me, Jason. You just make sure that you take very good care of my sister. Besides, considering just how much of a blessing it's been to my life to marry a Bolt, I'd like to think that if you and my sister can be half as happy as your sister and I are, then you're both very fortunate and blessed to have found each other."

Glad that everything was working out for their eldest brother's happiness, Jeremy offered;

"Congratulations, Jason, Julie,"

Motioning towards the counter, he ventured;

"Considering that appears to be one of Pixie's buttercream cakes, don't you all think that it would be a shame if we didn't celebrate by having a piece of it?"

Leaning over to kiss his cheek, Candy quipped;

"You're such a romantic, Jeremy Bolt."

Seeing his younger brother's embarrassment, Jason released Julie as he suggested;

"I think that sounds like an excellent idea, Jeremy, it would be a shame not to follow up such a wonderful meal with one of Pixie's delicious desserts."

With that, he took the cake from the counter and headed back into the dining room with everyone following suit by grabbing plates, forks and what have you before making their way into the dining room. 

Once the dessert had been devoured and the dishes cleaned and put away, Candy and Julie noted the time as they and Jeremy and Jason prepared to leave. After saying their farewells, Jason and Julie walked a bit slower, allowing Candy and Jeremy to walk ahead of them to give each couple a bit of privacy. Releasing her arm to place his around her shoulders, Jason couldn't help but ask;

"Any doubts, Julie?"

Happily, she shook her head as she pulled him to a stop before stating decidedly;

"No, no doubts. I know that this is what I want to do and I know that I'm doing it for the right reason. Do you have any doubts?"

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Jason couldn't help but smile before seizing the opportunity presented and kissing her deeply. Lifting his head to study her eyes in the moonlight, Jason hugged her to him tightly as he promised;

"No, my love, there are no doubts. I've waited for some time before deciding I was ready to take a wife and I'm very glad that I did, especially considering that you're my reward for my patience."

Noticing that Candy and Jeremy had stopped just ahead to wait for them, Jason took Julie's arm as he observed regretfully;

"As much as I happen to be enjoying this, we do have to get you and Candy back to the dorm before curfew."

Covering the remainder of the journey as quickly as possible, once Julie stepped up onto the porch, she turned to eye him quizzically as she demanded;

"Now just why did we hurry to get back here so fast."

Consulting his watch, Jason pointed out;

"Because now we can take our time and enjoy our goodnight kiss."

Julie offered a slight giggle as Jason took her in his arms just before lowering his head to claim her mouth. He realized that, although he felt as if time seemed to stand still as he held Julie, time didn't offer the same courtesy to those outside of their little bubble, proof of which was evident as Jeremy cleared his throat to gain their attention. Opening his eyes to glare at his youngest brother in reproach, Jason demanded testily;

"Is there something that I can do for you, Jeremy?"

Offering him an apologetic look, Candy reminded;

"I'm sorry, but it's time for Julie and me to go in now."

Sighing in resignation, Jason released Julie from his embrace before remarking;

"Alright, if she must."

Placing his hand on her cheek he kissed her forehead before bidding;

"Goodnight, darling, sweet dreams."

Watching as the girls made their way inside and waiting until they heard the click of the lock, Jeremy couldn't help but offer his brother a warm smile as he slapped him on his shoulder before asking;

"So what it as painful as you thought it would be?"

Stopping to face his sibling, Jason looked puzzled as he demanded;

"Was what as painful as I thought it would be, Jeremy; proposing?"

Shaking his head, Jeremy couldn't help but chuckle as he corrected;

"No, asking Aaron's blessing to marry HIS sister."

Narrowing his eyes as he gave his brother a scathing look, Jason couldn't help but chuckle in amusement as well as he shook his head before admitting;

"No, but I do understand quite a few things about our brother in law that I didn't really understand before."

Seeing the questioning expression that Jeremy wore, Jason explained;

"Jeremy, all these years that we joked at Aaron's expense about being so serious, there are some lessons that we could certainly take from him in that department."

Considering his brother's statement for a moment, Jeremy

couldn't help but ponder;

"Jason, is it just me or do you think that he's lightening up since he and Pixie got married?"

Placing his hand on his brother's shoulder, Jason suggested;

"Or could it possible, that seeing how happy our sister is, we have a new appreciation for how Aaron is, especially given the fact that he's just as serious, if not even more so when it comes to his and Jemma's love for each other and their marriage?"

Nodding, Jeremy conceded;

"I have to admit, I worried that, given how serious he is, Pixie's personality would change."

Shaking his head he continued laughingly;

"But seeing how she handled the two of you tonight, I worried for nothing."

With that, they hurried to their cabin to seek their rest for the night, both knowing that, given how things were about to change, to say a flurry of activity could be expected would be an understatement.

Jemma couldn't help but feel overjoyed, given all the small miracles and the happy turn of events that the day had brought. Sitting in front of her dressing table as she brushed out her long hair, she couldn't help but notice her husband, leaning against the door frame, a slight smile of contentment on his face as he watched her. Using the mirror to return his look with a searching one of her own, she tilted her head to the side before a loving smile curved her mouth as she offered;

"Would you care to share what your thinking; especially given that Cheshire cat expression that you happen to be wearing at the moment?"

Crossing the space between the door and her chair, Aaron took the brush from her hand as he began running it through the length of her hair. Enjoying the unexpected luxury, Jemma sighed contentedly as she asked;

"Not that I'm complaining, and not that I'm not enjoying the attention, but is there any particular reason? I'm only asking so that, whatever I did, I can do it again."

Giving her hair a few final strokes with the brush, Aaron set the brush on the dressing table before running his fingers through the length as he observed;

"I didn't think that I necessarily needed a reason. As I recall, I remember confessing on our wedding night just how long I had waited to do this very thing, believe me, love, doing this is no hardship for me. Not to mention,"

Pushing her hair to the side, Aaron lowered his head to bring his lips close to her ear as he ventured;

"I think I've more than proven that I don't need any special reason to pay attention to you, sweetheart."

With that, he began trailing the length of her slender neck down to the hollow of her throat before retracing the same path as he demanded suggestively;

"Now do I, Jemma love?'

Turning in her chair, Jemma wrapped her arms around his neck as she gave a slight shake of her head before stating playfully;

"Somehow, I think that I should have kept that little confession this morning about just how irresistible you are to myself."

Lifting his head a bit, he gazed into her eyes before offering;

"Well, love, if you'd rather I stop..."

Pulling him closer she exclaimed;

"Don't you dare!"

Brushing her lips against his, she wasn't surprised as he wrapped his arms around her, just under her raised arms, to pull her from her chair to stand in front of him, never breaking their kiss. Lifting his head, he couldn't help but notice how brilliant the sparks of desire seemed to make the emerald color in her eyes glow, Aaron couldn't help but notice how her hands seemed to find their way to the front of his shirt as she slowly and methodically began sliding each button loose to expose more and more of his chest to her hands. Pushing his shirt from his shoulders, Jemma couldn't help but notice the heavy rise and fall of his chest, as if he was trying to maintain control of himself. Lifting her eyes to look into his, she speculated;

"I didn't think that expectant parents were supposed to act this way."

Finding his control at its limits, Aaron shook his head as he swept her up into his arms before crossing over to their bed before stating, his voice rough with desire;

"If they don't, that's their problem, but considering what I'm holding in my arms right now, I plan on 'acting' this way whenever the opportunity presents. And don't think that I don't plan on 'creating' as many opportunities as possible."

Laying her on their bed before stretching out beside her as she turned towards him to encircle his neck with her arms, she couldn't help but giggle slightly as she ventured;

"You know, come to think of it, I don't see what's wrong with our acting this way. I may have to help you 'create' those opportunities."

Tracing the line of her jaw with his finger, Aaron advised;

"Trust me, sweetheart, you 'create' enough opportunities without even trying. Heaven help me if you were trying to do it intentionally."

Lying on his back in the aftermath of their lovemaking, Jemma couldn't help but feel the rise and fall of his chest as he sighed heavily. Tilting her head she studied his profile for a moment in the low lamplight of their bedroom, noting how relaxed and comfortable he seemed with his eyes closed as he held her. She wasn't surprised when he opened his eyes to look down at her, smiling tenderly as he did so before taking the hand she had laying on his chest and lacing his fingers through hers as he asked;

"Let me guess, you're wondering what I'm thinking?"

Shrugging slightly, Jemma offered;

"Only if you'd like to tell me."

Chuckling slightly as he pulled her a little closer to his side, he confessed;

"I was actually thinking that we might want to consider the idea of building a larger house in another couple of years."

Shocked, she couldn't help but look at him strangely as she demanded;

"What on earth for? This house is more than large enough for us and the baby."

Placing his hand over her stomach he ventured;

"Because, somehow, I just don't see us having only one child, darlin, we're going to need more room."

Considering a moment, she admitted;

"You know, that might not be such a bad idea at that. I mean with Jason and Julie getting married, I'm hoping that our children and their children can be raised together."

Noticing his silence, she sat up and noticed the distant look he now wore. Concerned, she asked;

"Aaron, honey is there something wrong?"

Shaking his head, he confessed in a voice full of self-reproach;

"I was thinking of just how big of a fool I was. Had I just gone and talked to Jason and been upfront with him about how I felt about you and what my intentions were, I could very well have saved all of us a lot of pain, suffering, and heartache."

Placing her hand against his cheek to bring his eyes to meet hers, Jemma ordered sternly;

"Darling, look at me."

When he met her gaze, Jemma could see the genuine contrition in his dark eyes, something that made her heart ache for the guilt and pain that he was putting himself through. Steeling her resolve, her tone became determined as she spoke;

"I must admit that I am truly impressed, I had absolutely no idea."

Puzzled by her statement, Aaron demanded;

"Jemma, what on earth are you talking about?"

Her face becoming a mask of sarcastic censure, she spread her hands wide in front of her as she clarified her statement;

"You, Aaron, I had no idea that you're as omnipotent as you seem to think you are. I mean I know that you have a great deal of influence, honey, but ACTUALLY the capability to have THAT much control over the lives of those around you. I must confess, I didn't think that I was married to a man with so much supernatural power. Tell me, HOW DO YOU manage to contend with being married a mere mortal female like myself?"

She could see by the sparks of anger flickering in his eyes that she had accomplished her goal, especially when she looked at him in complete innocence and serenity as if she truly believed her statement with every fiber of her being. When she noticed the granite-like set of his jaw, Jemma had no doubts as to the success of her ploy, any doubts to the contrary were eliminated as he issued in a tone of voice that was tinged with a warning;

"I don't find that the least bit amusing, Jemma Elysia."

Offering a slight nod of agreement, she exclaimed;

"GOOD! Because neither do I."

Cupping his face in her hands, Jemma met his angry gaze with a pleading one of her own as she beseeched';

"I want you to listen to me and listen to me good; none of what happened is your fault. Even had you gone to Jason, which, I might add, would have been against my wishes, do you HONESTLY believe that he would have agreed to let you marry me when you first realized that you loved me and wanted to marry me?"

Shaking her head, she answered her own inquiry;

"You and I both know he wouldn't have, so that means that we still would have been in the same position that we were; waiting. As far as Jason and Julie go, Did it ever occur to you that, had they gotten married beforehand that it might well have been a mistake? Those two had to come to terms with the fact that they loved each other and you know that. Now, the way that I see it, you have two choices; either you can continue blaming yourself, which will make you, me and everyone around us miserable, including our child."

Quietly, he demanded;

"Or?"

Allowing a loving smile to lift the corners of her mouth, Jemma offered;

"Or, you can be thankful for all the blessings that we have. Jason and Julie ARE getting married and it's because they love each other. We have each other, and before too much longer we're going to have our child. Now, can you give me any earthly reason why you should continue blaming yourself for something that you REALLY had no control over."

Letting her words sink in, Aaron knew that there really wasn't any valid argument that

he could offer for his earlier bout of self-pity, any thoughts he might have had to the contrary disappeared as he noticed a slight secret smile cross her face as the look in her eyes changed from one of pleading to one of happiness and joy as she removed her hands from his face to take one of his and place it over her stomach. Shaking his head in amazement, he realized that any self-pity he might have had left, disappeared as he felt the slight flutter against his hand.

Jemma couldn't help but compare how the look in his eyes changing from what she had seen earlier to what she saw now to that of clouds lifting., especially when he gazed into her eyes to venture;

"There's definitely one thing for certain; this baby certainly wants to let us know he or she is there."

Noticing the yawn that she tried to hide behind her hand, Aaron kissed her gently as he suggested;

"Considering just how active he or she has been today and just how much work you put into that wonderful meal that we had tonight, not to mention Jason and Julie's engagement, I know that I'm exhausted and I think that it's safe to say you must be too."

Settling himself so that she could get comfortable, Aaron held her close as he observed;

"By the way, Jemma love, that little lesson in sarcasm earlier, very clever, sweetheart."

Noticing how she was fighting sleep, he couldn't help but find it amusing as she tried to hide another yawn before pointing out;

"It worked, didn't it?"

Snuggling closer, she offered;

"Goodnight, darling."

Pulling the bedclothes closer around her before leaning down slightly to place a kiss on the top of her head, he bid softly, seeing that she was almost asleep;

"Goodnight to you, my love."

Mulling over everything that had taken place, he realized just how right, his wife had been as he became determined not to allow any more self-pity to cloud his appreciation for everything that he and his family had been blessed with. Firm in his resolve and determination, Aaron closed his eyes as he wondered just what the future was going to hold for, not just he, Jemma and their child, but his sister and Jason as well.

Although they had to make curfew, Candy and Julie were too excited to go to sleep right away, so to that end, after they dressed for bed and Candy had made certain that Molly and Christopher were tucked in and sleeping soundly, they decided to sit in the kitchen to enjoy a glass of milk and some conversation. Candy couldn't help but smile as she asked;

"Are you excited?"

Blushing, Julie nodded as she demanded;

"How could I not be? Candy, I'm more than excited, I'm truly happy, not only am I going to marry the man that I love, but he loves me and we don't have to go through any arguments with Aaron."

Offering her a knowing look, Candy pointed out;

"You know something? I have the feeling that you have Jemma to thank for a good bit of his acceptance."

Offering a slight chuckle, Julie nodded as she confessed;

"I think that Jason and I have a lot to thank Jemma for, well Jemma and the baby."

Her expression reflecting her astonishment, she queried;

"Did you notice the look on his face when he felt the baby move?"

Shaking her head, she confessed;

"I don't think that I've ever seen him quite so happy as I did then."

A slight smile of recollection lifting the corners of her mouth, Candy confided;

"Oh, I have, actually just as happy as he was tonight."

Her curiosity raised, Julie couldn't help but demand;

"Really? You've seen Aaron as happy as he was tonight; when?"

Leaning closer across the table, Candy related;

"Well, actually I've seen him that happy twice before."

With that, Candy began relating the events that took place regarding Maude Burns and Helen Dalton that led to Aaron's very public marriage proposal to Jemma, as well as their wedding day. Astonished by Candy's recount of her brother's behavior, Julie could only shake her head as she remarked;

"I had no idea; I mean, Aaron's always been so 'controlled' when it came to personal matters and his feelings. I know that he has no problem when it comes to his frustration and anger, but when it comes to more tender or emotional feelings, that's always been a different story."

Remembering something from earlier that evening, Julie couldn't help but ask;

"Candy, I know that Jemma loves my brother and I know that she's very happy about the baby, but tell me something; from what you described, she was beyond thrilled to accept Aaron's proposal. But why, when I asked about when Aaron spoke to Jason about marrying her, did she change the subject so abruptly? I mean she looked as if she didn't even want to remember it."

Normally, Candy wouldn't have confided what she was about to, however, given that it was Julie and just how fond she and Jemma had become of each other, as well as the fact that she was, not only, Jemma's sister in law by her brother's marriage, but she was also about to become Jason's wife. Lowering her voice to maintain an air of confidentiality, although the fact was public record, Candy explained;

"Do you remember my explaining the Betterment League's 'concerns' regarding Jemma's reputation?"

Nodding, Julie ventured;

"Yes, but what about it? I mean it wasn't as if she was playing the field; to be honest, I don't think that she's ever kept company with any man except Aaron."

Despite the seriousness of what she was about to divulge, Candy couldn't help but chuckle as she speculated;

"Trust me, she hasn't. Knowing your brother do you have any doubts that he managed to find a way to keep every available man in Seattle away from her?"

Considering her experience with an older brother's overprotectiveness, Julie nodded as she theorized;

"Well, considering my own experience with one older and overprotective brother, I can only imagine having three of them, especially when one of them is Jason Bolt."

Nodding, Candy agreed as she continued;

"EXACTLY! Anyway, the night that Aaron tried talking to Jason was during a celebration and Jason became so furious at the idea that he and Aaron almost came to blows. Jason became even angrier when he learned that Jemma had known that Aaron wanted to marry her and, well, he said some things to her."

Shaking her head in sadness as she recalled what her friend had endured that night, Candy explained;

"Jemma was so upset and had begun to cry, and ran out of the party. Aaron was about to go after her when Jason stopped him, but before Aaron could get out the door we heard screaming and it was Jemma. The Harmons, Will Harmon, the logger who had been accidentally killed in a logging accident, you remember the one I told you about before; well, they had been planning on how to get back at the Bolts, the father had anyway. They were waiting in the woods for a chance and when that happened they got it, they took Jemma."

Her eyes wide with shock, Julie couldn't help but wonder at the fear that her sister in law must have felt that night as she demanded;

"But what on earth for, Candy?"

Biting at her bottom lip, Candy continued her tale;

"He blamed Jason in particular for Will's death and because he tried to take Will and Linda's son, Joey, so he had the idea of forcing Jemma to marry one of his other 3 sons."

Having gotten to know her sister in law well enough to know just how well that particular event went, Julie, guessed;

"I'm assuming she refused the offer?"

Nodding, Candy confirmed;

"Yes, I'm not sure of all the details, I think that the only people who know everything are the two Harmons left, maybe, Jason and Aaron and Jemma and she's never really talked about it. I know that Jeremy said that Aaron was forced to shoot Elijah, the father and Jason had to kill one of the brothers. Apparently, the other two brothers only came along to try and keep their father and youngest brother from doing more harm to Jemma than what they did, they were more than happy to go to the Oregon territory."

Concerned, Julie asked;

"More harm, do you mean that she was hurt?"

Candy could only nod as she wiped tears from her eyes at the memory of just how afraid she had been for Jemma when Aaron and her brothers had rushed into Lottie's that night. She could still see how frail Jemma had seemed unconscious and bruised as Aaron held her tightly in his arms as he rushed upstairs to the room Lottie had indicated. Swallowing the lump of emotion back, Candy explained;

"I don't know everything but I do know that, if it weren't for Aaron, Jemma might well have died. When they brought her to Lottie's she was unconscious and her breathing was very shallow and sounded rattled. Mind you, that was aside from the bruise on her face and her shoulder had been dislocated, Jeremy said that the two Harmon brothers had put it back into place, thankfully. You see, she tried to get away from them, but when they took her she had an evening dress on and she tried to swim for it. The problem was that..."

Already knowing the answer, Julie supplied;

"All of the skirts got wet and weighted down and that meant she couldn't really swim."

Nodding, Candy confirmed;

"Exactly! And apparently, she was left in that wet dress and the temperatures were getting colder the closer they got to the mountains. Aaron told Lottie that, when they found her, she was in and out of consciousness and burning up with fever. Once her shoulder was back in place she seemed to come to, at least long enough to get into some dry clothes, but Aaron said that when he finished putting her arm into a sling she just collapsed and her fever had gotten even worse and her breathing had a rattle to it. Jeremy was sent ahead to get the doctor and let us know what had happened. I know that he told me he was surprised that your brother's horse had held up considering how hard he rode

him to get back here with Jemma as fast as he did. But, Allyn said they did the right thing, had they made camp with it getting colder the way it was, she might well not have survived."

Sitting straight, the shock of Candy's explanation evident on her face, Julie could only shake her head as she exclaimed;

"Dear Lord in heaven above, no wonder she didn't want to talk about it."

Candy placed her hand over Julie's as she pleaded;

"Julie, please, don't let her know that you know. I have no doubts that she'll tell you, but that's part of what Maude and Helen tried to hold over her head the night that Aaron proposed to her so publicly. They were trying to insinuate that because she had been seen with Aaron, even though no one would come out and say it was him, and rather than she had been abducted against her will, they tried to make it seem like she just 'went off' with those four men, she had a loose reputation."

Julie couldn't help feeling anger at the two old gossips, although she knew that Jemma wasn't someone to be concerned with the opinion of others, aside from those she loved. But, she also knew that given how kind-hearted Jemma was, having someone maliciously assault her character for no reason aside from selfish enjoyment would be something that would wound her deeply, especially considering that she would never contemplate doing such a thing herself. Making her mind up, Julie declared;

"I don't know about you, Candy, but as far as I'm concerned, those two old harpies need to be dropped off a cliff."

Offering a slight laugh at Julie's suggestion, Candy raised her milk glass to clink it against Julie's as she nodded;

"Agreed."

Once they finished their milk and conversation Candy retired to the room that she shared with her brother and sister while Julie climbed the stairs to her bed. After she had settled herself comfortably, Julie couldn't help but smile to herself at the realization that something she had dreamed of, but never thought would happen, was about to come true; she and Jason were going to be married and by BOTH their choices and out of love. Sighing she couldn't help but feel some concern at the thought that there would be a lot of details to work out between Seattle and San Francisco, but she also knew that they would be worked out. She couldn't help but laugh somewhat as she recalled Jason saying once how San Francisco and Seattle didn't really mix, although they might have for a time, but that was only for a visit. Although she and Jason had not discussed it as of yet, Julie had already made her mind up that, if Blake Anderson was an example of what could be readily found in San Francisco, then she would prefer to VISIT San Francisco and LIVE in Seattle.

Julie found that, for the first time in a long time, she felt completely at peace and happy with the direction that her life was taking and, most especially, with the man that she would be sharing that direction with. She knew that she would have a lot to learn about her husband to be, just as he would have a lot to learn about her, but she also knew that the most important things that they needed to know about each other, what was in their hearts. Realizing the possibility of just how adventurous her life might become, especially with Jason Bolt as her husband, Julie couldn't help but think aloud in a quiet voice;

"Well, there is certainly one thing for certain; life with Jason will be anything but boring."

With that thought firmly in mind, Julie closed her eyes, content, to find her rest for the night, a happy smile on her face. 


End file.
